Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Tan and Cardinal women's basketball team opened its 2014-15 season with a split at the Flying Dutch Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Hope College, falling to Defiance on day one before rebounding with a victory against Pitt-Bradford come Saturday afternoon.

Day 1 vs. Defiance: (72-62 loss)

Otterbein battled in a tight game with the Yellow Jackets to open Friday's action, overcoming an early 10-3 deficit to eventually gain a slim 34-32 advantage by halftime.

The Cardinals matched their largest lead of the game, at four, when senior Mary Corbett connected on a three-pointer with 9:43 remaining in regulation to give her team a 53-49 edge. Defiance quickly answered, out-scoring Otterbein 11-2 over the next seven minutes to open a 60-55 cushion.

A jumper from sophomore Taylor Pifher and another trifecta from Corbett kept Otterbein within a possession down the stretch, but the Cardinals would unfortunately be unable to draw even. Solid free-throw shooting from the Yellow Jackets in the closing 90 seconds helped them preserve the victory.

Senior point guard Chelsea Reed paced the Cardinal attack, turning in team-highs of 14 points and six assists on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. Junior Amariah Huck scored 12 while Pifher added 10 for Otterbein.

The Cards finished with a 16-3 margin in bench scoring and 14-0 advantage in fast-break points, but Defiance posted a 48-34 edge on the glass. Kelsey Tietje dropped 22 points to lead four Jackets in double figures.

Day 2 vs. Pitt-Bradford: (75-66 win)

Otterbein wasted no time jumping ahead on day two, opening the game on a 19-7 run spanning the first eight minutes of action.

The Cardinals widened the lead to 18 minutes later after a three-pointer from freshman Abby Miduri, but the Panthers continued to battle and cut the Otterbein lead to 40-30 entering halftime.

Otterbein scored the first two baskets of the second period, but Pitt-Bradford stayed within striking distance and began slow chipping away at the deficit. The Panthers found themselves behind by just six with 4:41 remaining, and then trailed 68-64 after a jumper in the paint with 42 seconds left.

The Cards would ultimately escape, however, watching Reed and Corbett go a combined 6 for 7 from the free-throw line in the closing seconds to notch their first win of the season.

Reed led a balanced Otterbein unit again with a solid line of 17 points, six assists and six rebounds. She was named to the All-Tournament team as a result of her play.

Three other Cardinals made it to double figures; 14 from Huck and 10 from both Pifher and Corbett. Senior Madi Miller chipped in nine and five rebounds on 4-of-7 shooting.

Otterbein overcame 19 turnovers, compared to just eight for Pitt-Bradford, by shooting .519 from the field and limiting the Panthers to a .373 output.

The Cardinals will return to action Tuesday evening with a 7:30 p.m. road matchup at Wittenberg University.