ADA, OH - Wittenberg Women's Basketball suffered a loss at the hands of Ohio Northern, 77-49, in the first game of the 2024-25 season at the Ohio Northern University Sports Center.

Wittenberg, which is coming off back-to-back North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular-season championships under the direction of third-year head coach Melissa Kolbe, had trouble finding the net in the non-conference road loss. The Tigers were limited to just 27.7 percent shooting from the field, including 4-of-23 from three-point range, and Wittenberg even struggled at the free throw line, making 9-of-19 shots.

The Tigers, picked to finish third in the NCAC 2024-25 Preseason Coaches' Poll, fell behind quickly in the first quarter that ended at 16-9 and made up some ground before the half with the Polar Bears holding 38-28 lead heading into the locker room.

Ohio Northern stepped up its game in the second half both offensively and defensively outscoring the Tigers 39-21. A tough Polar Bear defense held Wittenberg to just five points in the third quarter.

Ohio Northern, which finished 19-10 overall and 13-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) last season, lost to Wittenberg in the 2023-24 season opener by a 68-65 score at Wittenberg's Pam Evans Smith Arena.

Scoring in double digits for Wittenberg were Jazmyn Gaines-Burns (Bladensburg, MD / Elizabeth Seton) with a team-high 13 points, Payton Cronen (Louisville, KY / Assumption) with 11 off the bench, and Madi Barnett (Cincinnati, OH / Kings) with 10. McKenna Baker (Brownsburg, IN / Bethesda Christian) led the team in rebounds with five. Five other Tigers pulled down four rebounds each in Cronen, Gaines-Burns, Riane Burton (Houston, TX / Cypress Ranch), Karsen Karlblom (Crystal Lake, IL / Prairie Ridge), and Molly Mossing (Cedarville, OH / Cedarville). Burton also had three steals on the night.

Kristen Luersman and Courtney Sumner led Ohio Northern in scoring with 11 points each. Chloee Glenn had a team-high eight rebounds. Ohio Northern shot it well, making 29 of 65 from the field. The Polar Bears also won the rebounding battle convincingly 50-40.

Next up, Wittenberg will take on Hilbert and St. John Fisher in the St. John Fisher Tournament, Nov. 16-17.