ASHLAND, OH - Coming off two straight non-conference wins, the Ohio Dominican women's basketball team traveled to Kates Gymnasium in early January to face the reigning G-MAC champions, the Ashland Eagles. Although the Panthers fought until the final whistle, the Eagles managed to pull away for a 71-61 victory.
Key Performers
Despite the loss, senior guard Sarah Ochs delivered a standout performance for the Black and Gold. Ochs dropped a season-high 26 points along with five rebounds, an assist, and a steal, shooting 11-of-21 from the field. Her efficiency was on full display in the third quarter, where she reached 23 points in just 23 minutes. Forward Jenna Shackleford was also a major factor in the paint, contributing 17 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Mackenzie Hurd rounded out the top performers, adding seven points and five boards.
As a unit, the Panthers excelled inside, scoring 44 points in the paint and capitalizing on Ashland's mistakes for 15 points off turnovers. The contest was a back-and-forth battle featuring 13 ties and 12 lead changes. ODU finished the day shooting 42.6% from the field and a sharp 83.3% from the free-throw line.
Game Breakdown
The Panthers came out firing in the first quarter, outshooting the Eagles 44.4% to 36.4%. Driven by two early three-pointers, ODU built an 18-12 lead heading into the second. However, Ashland regained the momentum in the second quarter, outscoring the Panthers 22-15 to take a narrow 34-33 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was the most competitive frame of the game. While ODU shot a quarter-high 46.7% from the field, Ashland relied on a 6-of-8 performance from the charity stripe to maintain a two-point cushion. In the fourth quarter, the Eagles' offense heated up to 57.1% shooting, while the Panthers struggled to keep pace, managing only 11 points in the final ten minutes.
Next
The Panthers look to bounce back on January 8th as they travel to Pepper Pike to face the Ursuline Arrows. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM inside the Jane and Lee Seidman Gymnasium.
