Women’s Basketball falls to No. 11 Trine (Ind.)

By Wes Mayberry

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's basketball team gave No. 11 Trine (Ind.) a battle through three quarters Saturday afternoon before ultimately falling 75-54 at the ONU Sports Center.

The Thunder improved to 5-1 overall while dropping the Polar Bears to 4-1 overall.

Senior Annie Weckesser (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) and sophomore Kristen Luersman (Fort Jennings) led the way for Northern with nine points each.

Senior Jaidyn Hale (Lima/Bath) and freshman Abby Dickson (Germantown/Valley View) added eight points apiece for ONU to go with seven from junior Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and six from senior Alissa Stahler (Lima/Shawnee).

Stahler and senior Kate Iliff (Lorain/Steele) each tallied a team-high four rebounds for ONU.

Kelsy Taylor (14 points), Sam Underhill (13 points) and Kaylee Argyle (11 points) all scored in double figures for Trine.

Taylor added a game-high six rebounds.

Three-pointers from Kayla Wildman and Argyle helped Trine get out to a 6-0 lead to start the game, and a Wildman triple made it 9-2 with 5:59 left in the first quarter.

A 3-pointer from Weckesser and a layup from freshman Brooke Allen (Woodville/Woodmore) brought ONU within two, 9-7, but Trine extended its lead out to 17-12 at the end of the opening period.

An and-1 from Luersman tied the score at 23-all with 5:21 left in the second quarter, but the Thunder retook the lead on a Rachel Stewart layup, and Trine took a 38-30 edge into halftime.

ONU trailed 54-43 at the end of the third quarter and was unable to generate much momentum for a fourth-quarter comeback.

Ohio Northern made 19-of-56 field goals for 33.9% and was 4-of-19 from 3-point range for 21.1%, while the Thunder made 27-of-52 field goals for 51.9% and were 6-of-19 from beyond the arc for 31.6%.

The Polar Bears were 12-of-13 from the free-throw line for 92.3% while TU was 15-of-20 for 75%.

TU out-rebounded ONU 35-30.

The Polar Bears return to action on Saturday, Dec. 4, to open Ohio Athletic Conference play at Marietta at 2 p.m.