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Penguins win after Trimmer forces overtime
By Dan Hiner
Youngstown
The Youngstown State women’s basketball team needed extra time to beat Robert Morris. But the Penguins held the Colonials to three points in overtime to pull away for a 69-59 win Tuesday night at Beeghly Center.
Melinda Trimmer sent the game to overtime on a mid-range jumper to tie the game at 56 with 1.2 second left in the fourth quarter.
The play was originally intended for Sarah Cash in the post, but the ball was knocked loose and she regained possession for a pass to Trimmer along the baseline.
“Actually I saw she was getting doubled, and I really didn’t have anyone on me, so I just drifted to the corner so she could have a better look to see if I was open if she didn’t have the shot,” Trimmer said. “Then I saw her fighting and I knew she wasn’t gonna get the shot, so I figured, ‘Hey if she can get the ball, it’s coming out to me and I gotta be ready.’ ”
The jumper was the West Branch graduate’s only points of the game.
“It was kind of a broken play and she just made a great play,” YSU head coach John Barnes said. “She’s very capable. As a senior, to come out and make that shot to really propel us to a win, I’m proud of her ... happy for her.”
The Penguins (1-0) led 54-53 before Robert Morris’ Honoka Ikematsu hit a 3-pointer to put the Colonials up with 9.3 second left in the fourth. Ikematsu led the Colonials (0-1) with 15 points.
The YSU defense was active from the opening tip.
The Penguins outscored the Colonials 24-14 off turnovers. YSU generated 18 turnovers, a surprise to Barnes since they generated 17 or more turnovers in just five games last year.
“That’s pretty rare for our team to be honest — to force more turnovers — because we don’t really press a whole lot,” Barnes said. “I thought we did a good job of having active hands, getting some tipped passes and the other players being aware of what’s going on around them. It was fun to see.”
The Penguins’ offense dropped off in the second quarter as the Colonials outscored YSU 10-6, but YSU held a 28-26 lead into halftime.
McKenah Peters, Mary Dunn and Deleah Gibson helped carry the offense in the third quarter. Peters and Dunn scored seven points each while Gibson scored five, her first collegiate points.
Peters finished with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Dunn added seven points and four rebounds.
Chelsea Olson recorded a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with 13 points. Cash scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.
The Penguins outscored the Colonials 13-3 in overtime. Cash made six free throws to help YSU go 10 for 10 from the line.
“I thought the team really dug deep and played hard defensively, played tough and boxed out,” Barnes said. “And mentally to get up and knock down free throws in overtime is tough for anyone. I thought they did a great job of that.”