Photo Gallery l Postgame Interview

Mechanicsburg, PA – The Oberlin College women's basketball team put forth a valiant effort against No. 15 Messiah, but the Falcons were able to pull away in the fourth quarter to earn a 64-54 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and end the historic season for the Yeowomen.
 
"It was a great season and we proved that we belonged here," Head Coach Kerry Jenkins said. "I could not be more proud of this team and what they accomplished this year."
 
Oberlin led 50-48 with 5:53 remaining in the game, but suffered through a cold spell that lasted over four minutes as the Falcons went on an 11-0 run to build up a 59-50 lead with 1:34 left to play in the game. The Yeowomen would get back on the board on a pair of Olivia Canning free throws with 1:11 left to play, but they would get no closer the rest of the way.
 
Oberlin was hindered by a season-high 26 turnovers that led to 24 points for the Falcons. Messiah also benefited from a large discrepancy at the free throw line where it went 18-of-21 (85.7 %) compared to Oberlin's 8-of-11 (72.7%).
 
Playing in her final game, senior co-captain Tyler Parlor led the Yeowomen with 15 points, while sophomore Jasmine Sorrells added 11 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting. Fellow captain Abby Andrews was one rebound shy of a double-double as she posted 10 points to accompany her nine boards.

Oberlin claimed an early 6-2 lead and would later take a 13-9 advantage on a 3-pointer from Alex Stipano at the 3:46 mark. A layup by Parlor with 1:27 left in the opening quarter made it 17-10, but Messiah closed the quarter strong to cut the Yeomen edge down to 19-16 after one period of action.
 
No more than five points separated the two foes throughout the second quarter as a steal by Stipano led to a fastbreak finish from Parlor to make it 23-18 OC advantage with 6:23 left in the half. Defense for both sides stiffened up in the second quarter, but Messiah would eventually claim its first lead of the game since the opening possession as a Leah Springer 3-pointer put them on top 24-23. Oberlin answered back on the ensuing possession as Andrews finished in the lane to put Oberlin back out in front for the rest of the half as it carried a 29-28 edge into the locker room.
 
The Falcons grabbed a 34-31 lead midway the third quarter, but Oberlin came back with a 9-0 response run that featured a triple-hit from Parlor and four points from Sorrells to make it 39-34 in favor of the Yeowomen, but the two teams would ultimately head into the fourth tied at 41.

Oberlin, which had dominated the fourth quarter throughout the season, would trade buckets with the Falcons throughout the early part of the frame and an Andrews' jumper made it 50-48, but a missed layup and two consecutive turnovers were answered with Falcon points as they began their push to victory.
 
The Yeowomen outshot the Falcons 46.8 percent (22-of-47) to 37.5 percent (21-of-56) and also ended with a 36-27 advantage on the glass and 34-24 in points in the paint.
 
The Yeowomen conclude the season with a school-best record of 21-8. They are slated to return the entire roster outside of the senior class of Parlor, Andrews, and Anna Moore. The trio graduates as the winningest class in school history with 60 wins over four years.