Box Score TIFFIN, Ohio – The Heidelberg University women's basketball team defeated Marietta College by the score of 80-79 Saturday (Jan. 7) afternoon in an Ohio Athletic Conference showdown. Sophomore guard Kathleen Phillips scored a career-high 36 points including the game-winner with three seconds left in he contest. [Box Score]

The loss drops Marietta to 8-6 overall and 3-4 in the OAC. Heidelberg improves to 4-9 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

Clinging to a one-point lead, 79-78, the Pioneers' Jessica Brogan (Cincinnati/Anderson) blocked Paige Ricketts' shot with seven seconds left in the game. Heidelberg maintained possession as Brogan's block went out of bounds. Heidelberg inbounded the ball to Phillips who drove into the paint and hit the deciding jumper.

Marietta was led by freshman Heather Booth (Newport/Frontier) with 20 points on an eight-of-11 shooting performance and seven rebounds. Junior Aleisha Guiler (Lower Salem/Monroe Central) scored 15 points and freshman Sierra Sigman (Chillicothe/Zane Trace) added 12 points.

Phillips was one point shy of tying the Heidelberg single-game record for points. Emily Giel added 11 points while Jordan Ickes and Megan Miller each grabbed six rebounds.

In a game that featured 11 ties and 15 lead changes, neither team led by more than five points in the second half. Kristeva Rowe hit a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left in the opening period to give Marietta a 39-38 lead at halftime.

After the break, the Pioneers scored first, but Heidelberg came back to score four consecutive points and take its first lead of the second half, 42-41, on a jumper by Ickes.

Following four more ties, Heidelberg went on a 9-4 run and extended its lead to 59-54, the largest lead for the Student Princes in the game, as Kyra Dorney made one of two free throws with 12:27 to play.

The Pioneers would tie the game three more times before taking a 75-74 lead at the 2:53 mark when Booth sank one of two free throws, and extended its lead to 79-74 with two free throws and a lay-up by Guiler with 2:53 to play.

The Berg closed to within 79-78 with one minute to play after Phillips made two free throws and Ricketts canned a jumper, setting up the game-winning possession.

The Pioneers shot 37.7 percent (27-of-73) from the field and 74.2 percent (23-of-31) from the foul line and held a 52-46 rebounding advantage.

Heidelberg was 35.4 percent (23-of-65) shooting, including five-of-20 from three point range, but was 74.4 percent (29-of-39) from the charity stripe.

Marietta returns home on Wednesday, January 11th for a 7:30 p.m. battle with the Crusaders of Capital University.