SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Despite several near-comebacks, the Wittenberg women's basketball team could not overcome the Ohio Northern Polar Bears, falling to 4-6 after a 56-49 loss Saturday afternoon. The Tigers' perfect 2-0 record in North Coast Athletic Conference action is still intact as the Tigers say 'goodbye' to non-league action.
Ohio Northern quickly built a 14-4 lead after scoring the first seven points of the game and the next seven after the Tigers' first basket. By the six minute mark, Wittenberg had whittled the Bears' lead down to four points at 24-20. ONU took a 32-25 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Eight minutes into the second period, the Polar Bear's built their lead back up to 10, but Wittenberg responded by cutting it right back to five in short order. The lead bounced between five and nine for the remainder of the game, settling into the final seven-point margin after senior post Stephanie Boardman (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) netted a layup in the closing seconds.
Boardman led the Tigers with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting and eight rebounds, while senior wing Carrie Dyer (Copley, Ohio/Copley) chipped in eight points on a 4-for-10 performance and a team-leading nine boards. Sophomore guard Allie Leopard (Urbana, Ohio/Urbana) also contributed eight points.
Sophomore post Sarah Watson (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) and junior wingKatherine Hueter (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) each grabbed eight rebounds.
The two teams both struggled from the field, Ohio Northern shooting 34.4-percent and Wittenberg clocking in at 31.1-percent, and both teams encountered similar troubles from long range: 4-for-18 for the Bears and 3-for-22 for the Tigers. Both teams were 8-for-12 from the free throw line, and the Tigers outrebounded ONU by a 45-42 total.
The Tigers are back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 5, in a road contest at Denison at 7:30 p.m. The game kicks off the last 14 games of the season, all NCAC games, leading up to the NCAC Tournament beginning Tuesday, Feb. 23.