COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Dominican's women's basketball suffered its third-consecutive narrow defeat, dropping a 65-58 decision to visiting Northwood in GLIAC play Saturday afternoon in Alumni Hall.

Twelve second half turnovers proved costly to the Panthers (4-8, 1-7 GLIAC), as Northwood (6-6, 4-4 GLIAC) scored 16 points off of the miscues, and NU also had 12 second-chance points in the final 20 minutes.

The Panthers have dropped their past three games by a total of 13 points.

Sophomore forward Melissa Scherpenberg (Cincinnati, Ohio) had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds (seven offensive), while junior guard Kacee Hockenberry (Haviland, Ohio) poured in a game-high 19 points.

Freshman guard Kayla Cook (Westerville, Ohio), making her first start, had a season-high 13 points, and classmate Tori Beth Leader (West Portsmouth, Ohio) contributed nine points and nine boards off the bench. Freshman Madi Rittinger (Dayton, Ohio) pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked three shots off the bench as well.

The first half featured seven ties and 12 lead changes, with neither side leading by more than three points. Two Hockenberry free throws staked ODU to a 9-6 lead early, and the junior drilled a deep three from the left wing at the 10:48 mark to keep ODU in front 12-10.

Northwood grabbed a pair of two-point leads later in the half, but Cook hit two free throws and Rittinger scored on a putback to give the Panthers a 24-23 lead at the break.

ODU made just 7-of-35 shots in the half (20 percent) but held the Timberwolves to 26.7 percent shooting (8-of-30) as well.

Northwood used a 12-2 run to grab a 40-32 lead with just less than 12 minutes to play, though. Cook stopped the run with a three-point play to make it 40-35, then junior guard Micaela Liddane (Grosse Point Woods, Mich.) found Rittinger on a long outlet pass for a jumper to cut the deficit to three.

Later, freshman Lauren Bates (Hilliard, Ohio) dished to Scherpenberg for a baseline jumper to bring it to 40-39 with 10:30 left.

The Timberwolves scored consecutive baskets to regain a 44-39 lead, but a pair of Scherpenberg putbacks kept the Panthers within three at 46-43 with a little over eight minutes left.

Hockenberry hit a stepback three to cut it to 48-46 with seven minutes left, but Northwood knocked down consecutive threes to rebuild an eight-point lead with just over five minutes to play.

Leader answered with a baseline drive and layup to make it 56-50, but Northwood drilled a three-pointer on the other end to go in front 59-50 with 2:57 left.

ODU drew within six points on a pair of occasions but could get no closer down the stretch.

Ohio Dominican remains at home when it plays host to Findlay at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Alumni Hall.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu