ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Otterbein women's basketball team got itself right back into the win column with a good road victory Saturday afternoon, departing Mount Union with a 59-48 triumph as Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play continued.

The Cardinals advance to 10-4 on the season as a result, and 4-3 against the league following Wednesday's narrow defeat to nationally-ranked John Carroll. The Purple Raiders, meanwhile, now sit 4-8 on the winter schedule.

HOW IT WENT DOWN:

• Otterbein took control with a 21-10 first quarter and never looked back, using a 9-0 run midway through the period to gain momentum.
   
• A low-scoring second quarter had the Cardinals leading by double digits throughout, doubling up the hosts in extending the gap to as many as 17 at one point.
   
• Mount Union threw its biggest punch in the third frame, scoring 18 points and striking a quick 7-2 run late to get back within single digits (46-37).
   
• Otterbein regrouped nicely to begin the fourth, widening the margin back to 54-41 over the initial few minutes. The Raiders never got closer than eight the remainder of the way.

 
STATS THAT MATTERED:

• Both sides had nice scoring contributions from the bench, with Otterbein settling at a 26-21 advantage.
   
• Katie McCrary (14), Natalie Galaida (12) and Kathleen DeCarlo (11) all scored in double figures for the Cardinals. DeCarlo also snagged a game-high seven rebounds.
   
• The Cardinals shot 8 of 11 at the free-throw line while the Raiders was just 6 of 15.
   
• Mount Union leading scorer Emma Cannon (14 ppg) led her team with 10, as the Cardinal defense limited her to just a 4-of-15 effort from the field.
   
• Otterbein's defense forced Mount Union into committing 18 turnovers, a few days after making JCU give the ball away 27 times.
   
• Otterbein snaps an eight-game losing streak against the Raiders with the decisive result.

 
UP NEXT:

The Cardinals will get right back on the road middle of next week, heading down to play Wilmington College at 7 p.m.