WESTERVILLE — The Otterbein women's basketball team enters its holiday break on high note after getting a 76-63 win over Marietta in Ohio Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Kiara Hudgins and sophomore Kyla Irby led the way for the Cardinals with 17 points each, with the former's total marking a career best.

The Basics

• Records: Otterbein (4-4 overall, 2-1 OAC), Marietta (6-3 overall, 1-2 OAC)
• Venue: Rike Center - Westerville, Ohio

Otterbein Stat Leaders

• Hudgins scored 17 points and added nine rebounds and three assists. She was 10-of-11 from the free-throw line.
• Irby also scored 17 points to go with four rebounds. She was 3-for-5 from 3-point range and a perfect 4-for-4 from the foul line.
• Sophomore Abby Rawlings posted 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. She was 3-for-5 from 3-point range.
• Graduate student Kathleen DeCarlo added 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
• Sophomore Anna Waskiewicz tallied eight points and five rebounds.
• Senior Maizie King added four points and nine rebounds.

Game Highlights

• First Quarter: Otterbein jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, getting three points from Irby and two points each from King and Waskiewicz. An and-1 from DeCarlo made it 10-4 with 3:57 left, and Hudgins put the Cardinals up 15-9 with a 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining. The Pioneers closed the gap to five, 17-12, to end the period.
• Second Quarter: A jumper from Irby and layup from Waskiewicz put Otterbein up 21-12 to open the second quarter. A layup from new addition Madilyn Stechschulte, a transfer from Siena Heights, increased the lead to 15, 32-17, with 1:53 left. The Cardinals entered halftime holding a 32-20 edge.
• Third Quarter: The Pioneers opened the second half with an 8-0 run to get back within four, 32-28, with 7:43 left, causing Otterbein to call a timeout. The Cardinals responded with a 3-pointer from Irby, and a triple from Rawlings put the lead at nine, 39-30, with 5:35 remaining. The lead grew to 13, 45-32, with the help of a 3-pointer from Rawlings and free throw from freshman Mattie Walburn, but Marietta remained within striking distance, getting within 10, 52-42, going into the fourth period.
• Fourth Quarter: The Pioneers cut the deficit to five on a pair of occasions in the fourth, the latest of which came on a 3-pointer with 2:58 remaining, but the Cardinals were able to hold of the surge. A layup from Waskiewicz and jumper from Rawlings put the lead at nine, 67-58, with 1:20 left before Marietta answered with a 3-pointer to get back within six with 1:07 remaining. The Cardinals were 9-of-10 from the free-throw line over the final 52 seconds to seal the victory.
• Key Team Stats: Otterbein shot 38.7% from the field and was 7-of-15 (46.7%) from 3-point range. Marietta shot 33.8% from the field and was 7-of-22 (31.8%) from 3-point range. The Cardinals were 21-of-24 (87.5%) from the free-throw line, while the Pioneers were 12-of-15 (80%). Otterbein out-rebounded Marietta by a 47-35 margin.

Notables

• Hudgins' 17 points marked a career high. Her previous best was 10 points, which she achieved twice earlier this season. Her nine rebounds also marked a career best.
• Irby has scored in double figures in six of eight games this season and is averaging a team-high 12.9 points per game.
• Rawlings' 12 points marked a season high.
• Head coach Diana Noles is in her sixth year at Otterbein and has an all-time record of 67-57 at the helm of the Cardinals.
• The Cardinals and Pioneers have played an evenly matched series dating back to 2008, with Otterbein holding a slim 18-15 edge.