OTTOVILLE – Coldwater’s duo of Becca Wenning and Riley Rismiller fueled the Cavaliers scoring all evening but Rismiller hit the game winner to give her team a 51-49 win.
Working against a pair of Big Green defenders with just :09 remaining in the game and tied at 49-49 Coldwater junior post Riley Rismiller backed down into the middle of the lane and dropped a soft right handed shot over Ottoville defender Carly Thorbahn to put the visitors on top.
A look from #InTheBooth of the eventual game winner from @RRismiller pic.twitter.com/4lZftRf4x5
— Michael Hirn (@MichaelHirnPBP) December 14, 2021
Ottoville’s last chance to tie the game and possibly send it to overtime came with time just about to expire just above the free throw line from Elise Kramer but was blocked to give Coldwater a two point win, their first ever against the Big Green in six tries.
In the opening period the hosts jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead on their first possession thanks to a Carly Thorbahn triple. Ottoville continued to add to their advantage with shots from beyond the arc as triples from Erica Thorbahn and Elise Kramer pushed the lead to 13-7 at the end of the quarter.
Coldwater’s aforementioned duo of Wenning and Rismiller went to work in the second eight minutes of play as they combined for every one of their squads 18 points. Rismiller pulled her team within 20-15 with 3:05 left but it would be the three point goal by Wenning that brought the lead to just three before adding a second from half court at the horn for a 25-23 halftime lead.
Five three pointers fell through the net for the Big Green in the first half and continued to fall in the third quarter as Carly Thorbahn and Elise Kramer hit shots from deep to keep Ottoville in front.
Wenning and Rismiller again combined for a big quarter in the third with 10 but the bang came from sophomore teammate Emma May who canned a corner triple as time expired to get within 39-38.
Fighting for every loose ball and possession, the two teams engaged in a series of one-upmanship on the scoreboard and trading the lead back and forth. While Rismiller and Kramer pulled their teams ahead in the period a five point run by Emma May set the Cavaliers up for success with a 43-39 lead in the middle of the period and forced an Ottoville timeout in the wanining moments.
Elise Kramer led the Big Green (2-5) in scoring with 21 while Rismiller’s game high 25 led all scorers.
“I am extremely proud of the effort these girls played with tonight, they competed in every possession throughout the 32 minutes. They executed on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor tonight” said Ottoville coach Michelle Leach.
Ottoville is back in action Saturday afternoon against Wayne Trace at L.W. Heckman Gymnasium while Coldwater (4-3) welcomes Marion Local to the Palace for a Thursday night Midwest Athletic Conference tilt.
Scoring:
Coldwater (51):
Becca Wenning 16
Emma May 8
Jenna Leugers 2
Riley Rismiller 25
FT: 3/7
3PT: 4 (May 2, Wenning 2)
Ottoville (49):
Jessa Burgei 2
Erica Thorbahn 10
Carly Thorbahn 8
Skylar Turnwald 2
Elise Kramer 21
Becca Turnwald 4
Shayla German 2
FT: 6/10
3PT: 6 (C. Thorbahn 2, E. Thorbahn 2, Kramer 2)
JV: Ottoville 40-13