Women's Basketball extends win streak to five games with 70-63 victory at Mount Union

By Tim Glon

ALLIANCE — The Ohio Northern women's basketball team ran its winning streak to five games with a 70-63 victory at Mount Union on Saturday afternoon at the McPherson Athletic Center.

The Polar Bears (15-4 overall, 9-3 Ohio Athletic Conference) were led by seniors Emily Mescher (Maria Stein/Marion Local) and Abby Weeks (West Chester/Mount Notre Dame) with 14 points each and sophomore Jaidyn Hale (Lima/Bath) with 12 points.

The Purple Raiders (10-9, 4-8) had four players in double figures in scoring, led by Elena Rauhe with 13 points.

Ohio Northern ended the first period on a 14-3 run to lead 18-10 after 10 minutes of play.

MtU pulled within 28-26 by halftime and led 37-33 with 2:17 gone in the third quarter.

Neither team would lead by more than three points until a 7-0 run gave ONU a 50-45 lead after the third period.

The lead would bounce between two and five points until a basket by sophomore Sydney Ward (Columbus/Upper Arlington) put ONU ahead 60-53 with 5:17 remaining.

Mount Union got within 60-57, but four free throws by Weeks pushed the advantage back to 66-59 with 3:04 to go.

Weeks made two more free throws with 25 seconds left to make it 68-61 with 25 seconds left and freshman Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) hit two more free ones with 20 second left to make it 70-69.

Northern made 24 of 55 field goals for 43.6% and made 7 of 23 3-pointers for 30.4%. MtU was 21 of 59 from the floor for 35.6% and was 14 of 35 from beyond the arc for 40.0%.

ONU out-rebounded MtU 40-29 behind a balanced effort that saw all 11 players with at least one rebound.

The Polar Bears will return to action Wednesday night when they host No. 12-ranked Baldwin Wallace on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the ONU Sports Center.