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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Otterbein University dropped its Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) opener Wednesday evening in the Rike Center, falling by a score of 84-52 to visiting Ohio Northern University in women's basketball action.

Ohio Northern (5-1, 1-0 OAC) jumped out to a 13-7 lead after six minutes of action, but the Cardinals responded with a quick 10-2 run over the next two-plus minutes, capped by a three-pointer from freshman Abby Miduri, to jumped ahead 17-15.

Both offenses cooled down a bit for remainder of the half, with ONU eventually taking a 31-28 lead into the break.

Otterbein (2-4, 0-1 OAC) managed to draw even, at 36-36, just five minutes into second-half action, but the Polar Bears ventured on a 17-3 run over the next five minutes that would prove to be the difference-making stretch in the game.

A bucket from Otterbein junior Amariah Huck temporarily halted the spurt, but Ohio Northern would slowly pull away down the stretch en route to victory. ONU posted a blistering .733 shooting percentage from the field after intermission.

Huck and sophomore Taylor Pifher combined to score 21 points for the Cardinals, with Huck and senior Madi Miller tying for a team-high six rebounds.

Northern was paced by 6-1 senior Jordan Kimes in the middle, who flirted with a double-double before finishing with 15 points, 11 boards and eight blocks. Teammate Amy Bullimore also notched a double-double effort of a game-high 17 points and 10 caroms.

The Polar Bears held a 45-33 rebounding edge and more-than doubled up Otterbein for points in the paint at 44-20.

Otterbein stays at home to finish out the week, hosting Baldwin Wallace University (3-2, 0-1 OAC) at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon.