The John Carroll women's basketball team knew it would take a strong effort to bounce back from a difficult loss to Heidelberg earlier in the week.
 
In an emotional game at the DeCarlo Center, the Blue Streaks took #24 Ohio Northern to the brink.
 
Katie Battaglia had 18 points and nine rebounds, but JCU fell short as Ohio Northern closed out the game for a 67-62 win in University Heights on Saturday.
 





JCU falls to 4-3, and 1-2 in the OAC. Ohio Northern improves to 5-2, and 2-0 in conference play.
 
At the start of the game, Ohio Northern was controlling many of the offensive rebounds, but the real story was JCU's offense and grit. The Blue Streaks came out of the gate running, opening the game on a 12-2 run. They were causing turnovers left and right, leading to two Polar Bear timeouts 4 minutes into the game. Spahar forced and converted an and-one, putting the home team up 21-6 halfway through the quarter. 
 
Despite their slow start, ONU worked its way back into the game, going on a 12-3 run in the final 5 minutes of the quarter, making the score 26-18 in favor of JCU to start the second.
 
The tide shifted dramatically in the second quarter as the Polar Bears went on a 12-4 run, tying the game at 30. JCU regained the pace, moved the ball and put in a couple of buckets to give them a 5 point lead heading into the half, 38-33.
 
Both teams came out to slow starts, combining for five points in the first minutes of the third quarter. ONU put on a press that the Blue Streaks had a tough time adjusting to. This allowed the Polar Bears to get within one of John Carroll, 48-47.
 
The contest remained close, with both teams trading buckets back and forth. John Carroll got into foul trouble late, and ONU led by as many as six, taking the lead and stretching it to 60-54. 
 
With a minute to go, Katie Battaglia stripped a Polar Bear at mid court and converted a breakaway layup to tie the game at 62.
 
ONU scored the game's final five points and closed out the win.
 
JCU is back in action next Saturday at the DeCarlo Center, when they take on Wilmington at 3:00 p.m.