WESTERVILLE — Sophomore Kyla Irby and graduate student Kathleen DeCarlo both scored in double digits as the Otterbein women's basketball team fell 64-55 to Ohio Northern in Ohio Athletic Conference play on Wednesday night.

The Basics

• Records: Otterbein (8-6 overall, 4-3 OAC), Ohio Northern (9-5 overall, 5-2 OAC)
• Venue: Rike Center - Westerville, Ohio

Otterbein Stat Leaders

• Irby extended her double-digit scoring games to 12, finishing with 15 points and three rebounds. She was perfect from the free-throw line, going 6-for-6, while shooting 57% from the field.
• DeCarlo has hit double digits in eight games this season, recording 14 points, six rebounds, and two assists. She was perfect from the free-throw line, going 5-for-5. 
• Senior Maizie King added seven points, five rebounds and a steal.
• Sophomore Abby Rawlings added five points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals.

Game Highlights

• First Quarter: The Cardinals struggled early, allowing Ohio Northern to open with a 13-2 run while managing just five points and committing six turnovers through the first nine minutes. King provided a late spark with back-to-back layups, followed by a 3-pointer from sophomore Madilyn Stechschulte, closing the quarter with a narrowed deficit of 15-12.
• Second Quarter: Otterbein maintained its momentum and pressure in the second quarter, with Irby delivering back-to-back baskets. DeCarlo added the remaining points, converting two free-throw opportunities and nailing a 3-pointer to end the quarter. Despite their efforts, the Polar Bears outscored the Cardinals by three points in the period and extended their lead to 31-25.
• Third Quarter: The third quarter was a thrilling back-and-forth battle, with the Cardinals closing the gap to within three points once again. Otterbein continually chipped away at the score, but ONU consistently responded. The quarter ended on a high note for Otterbein as Rawlings sank a buzzer-beater just as the shot clock expired, cutting the deficit to 43-41.
• Fourth Quarter: Sophomore Nicole Terry tied the game at 43-43 just 20 seconds into the fourth quarter, but the Polar Bears responded with a 10-2 run to push their lead to eight points. After Irby hit a 3-pointer just past the six-minute mark, Otterbein was held scoreless for the remainder of the game, aside from free throws. ONU continued to build its lead en route to the 64-55 win.
• Key Team Stats: Otterbein shot 38.8% from the field and was 4-of-16 (25%) from 3-point range. Ohio Northern shot 39.6% from the field and was 3-of-18 (16.7%) from 3-point range. The Cardinals were 15-of-17 (88.2%) from the free-throw line, while the Polar Bears were 19-of-27 (70.4%). The Polar Bears out-rebounded Otterbein 37 to 28.

Notables

• Irby has scored in double figures in 12 games this season and is averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game. She entered Wednesday ranked fourth in the OAC in scoring average, first in free-throw percentage (88.1%), tied for second in 3-pointers made (28) and fourth in free throws made (52).
• DeCarlo has scored in double figures in eight games on the season and is averaging 10.4 points per game.
• Otterbein and Ohio Northern entered Wednesday in a three-way tie with Capital for third place in the OAC standings behind Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll.
• Head coach Diana Noles is in her sixth year at Otterbein and has an all-time record of 71-58 at the helm of the Cardinals.
• Ohio Northern is 28-10 against Otterbein in the teams' series dating back to 2009 and has won six straight meetings. The Cardinals' last win over the Polar Bears was a 65-60 victory in Westerville on Feb. 2, 2022.