MARIETTA, Ohio – The Otterbein women's basketball team opened up conference play by falling, 75-65, to Marietta Wednesday night inside the Ban Johnson Arena.

The Cardinals drop to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), while Marietta improves to 4-1 on the season and starts league play 1-0.

Marietta and Otterbein would trade baskets the entire first quarter, as the Pioneers led 23-20. Otterbein shot 3-of-4 from behind the arc, as Ali Cartnal connected on two three-pointers and Angelia Jackson made her lone three with time running down.

The Pioneers started the second stanza by rattling off the first seven points, as Marietta's defense kept the Cardinals scoreless for five minutes of action.

Otterbein trailed 36-27 heading into intermission, as the Cardinals held the Pioneers to 44 percent from the floor.

Marietta owned its largest lead of the game at 18 points midway through the third quarter. Cartnal dominated the third period by scoring 12 of Otterbein's 17 points. 

Shay Lett of Marietta buried a transition three to build a 14-point edge. However the Cardinals responded immediately after by scoring seven unanswered points and trailed 68-61 with 2:50 remaining in the contest.

Dani Kissel made a layup at the 1:13 mark making the score 69-63, but Otterbein was forced to start fouling the host with time running down. Marietta went 7-7 from the free-throw line with under a minute left to earn the victory.

Cartnal led the Otterbein attack tallying a season-high 23 points, as Abbie Scholz grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and added seven points.

The Cardinals will have their season opener Saturday against Capital at 3 p.m.