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GRANVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein women's basketball team split a pair of games to open the season this weekend at the Denison Classic, falling to host Denison on Friday night before cruising past Mount St. Joseph on Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals now pivot their attention to the first home contest of the season against Ohio Welseyan next Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside the Rike Center.

Game One vs. Denison

Otterbein opened the season on Friday night with a 49-36 loss at Denison, a game in which the Cards struggled from the field shooting just 20.4 percent for the game.

The Cards began the game with a 10-8 lead after one quarter, as junior Kiersten Taylor scored a pair of baskets to help the team gain an early advantage. Denison retaliated in the second frame by outscoring Otterbein, 14-11, taking a one-point lead into halftime.

Both teams continued to struggle from the field as the second half got underway, as the Big Red narrowly trumped the Cards, 10-8, in the quarter. Sophomore Ali Cartnal kept the Cards in the game with five points in the frame, keeping the deficit at three points heading into the final quarter.

A made free throw by Taylor cut the Cards' deficit to 32-31 with 8:17 left in the game, before the Big Red manufactured an 11-0 scoring run to take control of the momentum. Otterbein never managed to recover, coming no closer than eight points.

Sophomore Dani Kissel led the Cards with 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds. Cartnal finished with 10 points on 2-of-8 shooting and a 6-of-9 mark from the foul line. Miduri and Taylor combined for 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Denison's Jordan Holmes posted a trio of game-highs with 20 points, 18 rebounds and eight blocks. The Big Red also outscored the Cardinal bench, 14-0.

Game Two vs. Mount St. Joseph

Saturday featured the Cardinals picking up their first win of the season with a dominating, 69-43, victory after shooting 46.7 percent from the field while holding Mount St. Joseph to a 25.4 percent mark.

MSJ battled Otterbein through the first 3:40 of the contest, as the Cards held just a two-point lead before breaking through with a 14-0 scoring run to take a commanding 24-8 lead into the second period.

The Cardinals increased their lead to as many as 21 points in the second frame, eventually cementing a 40-19 lead at halftime. Cartnal and Miduri led Otterbein at the break with nine points apiece, as the team shot 48.5 percent from the field.

Otterbein carried its solid play into the second half, outscoring MSJ, 18-13, in the third quarter as Kissel totaled 11 points. The Cards inflated their lead to as many as 33 points in the final period, as 13 players saw time in the game.

Kissel, who was named to the all-tournament team, all scorers with 18 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including a pair of makes from behind the arc. Cartnal finished with 12 points, connecting on 3-of-6 shots from three-point range, dishing out five assists.

Miduri tallied 11 points and a game-high six assists, while Taylor and senior Taylor Pifher combined for 13 points and 21 rebounds. Otterbein also owned the battle in the paint, totaling 32 points.