COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Marietta College women's basketball team struggled through a tough night shooting the basketball and dropped a road game to Capital University, 55-47, Wednesday (Jan. 18) evening. The Pioneers falls to 11-5 overall and 6-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Capital improves to 11-5 overall and 5-4 in the OAC.
Both teams got off to ice-cold starts in the first six minutes as the only points came from the foul line. Finally, after Capital crept out to a 5-3 lead,
Adi Hill (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) nailed a three-pointer to give the Pioneers a 6-5 lead at the 3:18 mark. Capital answered a minute later with a three from Jenna Horsley and, with the help of yet more free throws, the Comets took a 12-8 lead into the second period.
The Pioneers jumped back into the lead early in the second quarter after Hill sank both of her free throws, giving Marietta a 15-14 advantage. After the two teams traded shots over the next three minutes, Capital got three pointers from Horsley and Laney Murphy to jet out to a seven-point differential in the closing moments of the first half. Marietta could not convert their final shot of the half and the Comets took a 28-21 lead into halftime.
Capital jetted off to an 8-0 run to begin the third quarter, including three layups from Samaree Perkins. Marietta tried to cool the momentum as
Kelly Levering (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) busted a three-pointer, cutting the Comet lead to 12.
Paige Tolson (Guysville, Ohio/Federal Hocking) hit from beyond the arc and Marietta had the deficit back to single digits, 36-27. Levering's layup at the 1:07 mark proved to be the last points for either team in the quarter and Capital led 38-29 heading into the fourth quarter.
Marietta came out with a purpose and went on a 7-0 run in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter.
Olivia Gribble (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) connected from downtown and
Devin Hefner (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) and Hill connected on layups and Marietta only trailed by two. Hefner then scored on a driving layup and, after getting fouled, converted the bonus free throw to put the Pioneers within one point, 40-39. Capital answered with a back-breaking 10-0 run over the next three minutes. During that span, the Pioneers went 0-7 from the field.
Hannah Schill (Rootstown, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) ignited yet another comeback as she converted a layup and Pioneers got to within three points of the lead. Hefner hit all four of her free throws during the run and
Makenzie Wilson's (Wapakoneta, Ohio/Wapakoneta) layup's put the score at 50-47. Marietta was forced to foul to stop the clock and Capital iced the game from the free throw line, hitting 5 of 8. The Comets would go on to win, 55-47.
Hefner finished with a team-high 12 points. Hill finished with eight points and Levering finished with seven points.
Erin Hahn (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) only scored three points but collect 14 rebounds and three steals for the Pioneers.
Perkins led all scorers with 17 points and earned a double-double on the evening with 10 rebounds.
Marietta returns home to battle Ohio Northern University in the second half of a doubleheader on Saturday (Jan. 21). Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollegeand @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
