COLUMBUS, Ohio – A quick start to the second half gave Ohio Dominican's women's basketball team a 10-point lead, but Malone was able to respond over the game's final 15 minutes as the Panthers fell 71-65 in a GLIAC contest Saturday afternoon in Alumni Hall.

Sophomore forward Melissa Scherpenberg (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals, junior guard Kacee Hockenberry (Haviland, Ohio) added 14 points with seven rebounds and freshman guard Tori Beth Leader (West Portsmouth, Ohio) came off the bench to score 10 to pace ODU (10-13, 7-12 GLIAC).

Hockenberry had the highlight of the afternoon, banking in a shot from midcourt to beat the halftime buzzer to give the Panthers a 32-27 lead at intermission. The lead grew to 39-29 early in the second half as junior guard Micaela Liddane (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) knocked down a jumper and a triple in the opening two minutes of play.

Malone (17-8, 12-7 GLIAC) answered with a 17-5 run over a six minute stretch, though, regaining the lead at 46-44 with 11:40 to play. The Panthers tied it twice, including at 49-49 after Leader drilled a triple with 8:55 left, but were forced to play catch up the rest of the game.

Scherpenberg made a layup and Leader hit a short jumper to keep ODU within two, 57-55, with 4:10 left, but that was as close as the Panthers would get down the stretch. Malone scored eight of the next nine points to go in front 64-56 with just under a minute left, and the Panthers would never get within five points.

The Panthers actually made two more field goals than Malone, going 26-of-64 from the field (40.6 percent) compared to 24-of-60 shooting for the Pioneers (40.0 percent). But the Pioneers went 7-of-16 from beyond the arc (43.8 percent) and made 16-of-24 free throws compared to just 8-of-11 for ODU to pull away with the win.

Freshman forward Madi Rittinger (Dayton, Ohio) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and Liddane finished with eight points and a season-high six assists.

Ohio Dominican remains at home for a 5:30 p.m. contest with Ashland on Thursday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu