By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Kalamazoo, Mich.---Olivia Frost (North Baltimore/North Baltimore, Ohio) produced a season-high 13 points as the No. 3 Owens Community College women's basketball team trounced No. 12 Kalamazoo Valley Community College 78-55 on the road this evening in the opener of the KVCC Classic.

The win moved Owens to 4-0 overall and gave them their second win over a top 15 opponent this week after defeating No. 15 Schoolcraft College by 39 on the road Wednesday. They will close out this week with an 11 a.m. matchup against Grand Rapids Community College tomorrow.

Kalamazoo Valley opened tonight's game by scoring eight of the first 10 points via 4-for-4 shooting on three layups, a jumper, four assists and a steal. Essence Cowan (Lima Senior/Lima, Ohio), who finished with 12 points, buried a 3-pointer to pull Owens within one, but Kalamazoo Valley stretched the lead back to six with 5:29 left in the first quarter.

Cowan then produced another triple, and Kaylah Ivey (Westerville South/Westerville, Ohio) made a layup as Owens pulled back within one. Kalamazoo Valley responded with a 3-pointer, but Jeryn Reese (Mansfield/Mansfield, Ohio) hit a jumper and Courizma Williams (Hughes/Cincinnati, Ohio) tied it up with a pair of free throws.

Williams then added a jumper in the paint before Frost and Brenda Pennington (Bishop Noll Institute/Hammond, Ind.) picked up buckets to give Owens a 22-18 lead through one.

Cowan then opened the second quarter with a jumper on the first possession, and Owens eventually pushed the lead to double digits with 6:31 left in the half on a layup from Ariel Bethea (Huron/Ann Arbor, Mich.). Ivey produced a second chance layup to stretch the lead to 15 just over three minutes later, and Denissa Sly (Northmont/Englewood, Ohio) converted a 3-point play to bump the lead to 21. 

Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and converted a layup just before the half to give Owens a 48-28 lead.

In the third quarter, Kalamazoo Valley outscored Owens 15-14, but were only able to get as close as 17 following a pair of free throws with 3:37 left. A 6-0 run then gave Owens a 60-37 lead before Kalamazoo Valley trimmed its deficit to 19 heading to the fourth.

Reese and Sybil Roseboro (Elyria/Elyria, Ohio) combined for eight points early in the fourth as Owens led 74-48 with 3:46 left. Sly and Bethea closed the scoring for Owens with a pair of baskets before Kalamazoo Valley scored the game's final point at the free throw line.

Frost went 6-for-10 from the field, including a 1-for-2 mark from 3-point range, to produce her 13 points. Cowan went 3-for-5 from long distance to help her reach 12 points, while Williams was 4-for-7 from the field and 2-for-2 from the foul line for 11 points. As a team, Owens finished 31-for-85, including a 5-for-17 mark from long distance.

Owens out-rebounded Kalamazoo Valley 61-44, including a 28-14 advantage on the offensive glass, and they forced 24 turnovers, which led to 28 points off turnovers. Owens also held a 38-20 advantage in the paint and a 31-12 margin in second chance points.