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YSU needs double overtime for win
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Youngstown State’s Heidi Schlegel (15) puts up a jump shot during the first half of Monday morning’s matchup against Malone at Beeghly Center.
By Joe Catullo Jr.
YOUNGSTOWN
Boardman’s Monica Touvelle has participated in 97 career games and countless practices as a member of the Youngstown State women’s basketball team.
With everything she’s encountered at Beeghly Center, good or bad, Touvelle felt different during Sunday’s graduation ceremony.
She traded her jersey for a gown. She switched her headband for a cap. Instead of running back and forth on the court, she walked up the stairs and received her diploma. She participated with more than 600 students rather than just her teammates.
Touvelle followed in her mother’s footsteps from when she graduated at YSU in the late ‘70s.
“I can finally say that I’m a proud alumni,” Touvelle said.
Touvelle graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She will begin classes for a Master of Business Administration degree in the spring.
The 2010 Boardman graduate celebrated afterwards with her family at Springfield Grille. Touvelle said Sunday was easier to handle than Monday morning’s game, an 80-73 double-overtime victory over Division II Malone. Twenty-four hours after the ceremony, Beeghly Center transformed into what Touvelle is accustomed to — a basketball court.
“Over my 20 years of coaching, I know about 15 D-II schools that have beaten D-I teams, so it happens,” YSU coach John Barnes said. “This is like a title game for them. Going up against a DI team, they’re going to play as good as they possibly can.”
The Penguins (3-6) held a 12-point lead with less than 15 minutes remaining in the contest before Malone (5-4) fought back. Trailing 63-60 with four seconds left, Sydnee Penn nailed a 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime.
“It was such a devastating end to the game to get it to overtime,” Barnes said.
In the first overtime, the Pioneers led by two points with 15 seconds remaining when Liz Hornberger tied the game by making a jumpshot. From there, the Penguins took control.
“They came out ready to play,” YSU’s Heidi Schlegel said. “As the game went on, we didn’t give up. That was the key to our success because in the past, we would have just given up.”
Schlegel finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, both game highs.
Karen Flagg tallied 16 points off the bench while Hornberger and Jenna Hirsch each finished with 13.
Touvelle scored six points in 30 minutes, including the game’s last two points via free throws. She also made her second start this year and 11th of her career.
The Penguins avoided losing to a non-Division I program for the first time since Jan. 13, 1990.