BEXLEY, Ohio - Capital University shot 50 percent (29-of-58) from the field in a 73-61 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) victory over the Wilmington College women's basketball team on Wednesday evening.
The two teams were tied 7-7 midway through the first quarter, but Capital ended the quarter on a 16-5 run to lead 23-12 after 10 minutes. Wilmington opened the second quarter by scoring nine of the first 11 points, however, as an Emily Harman jumper pulled the Quakers within four points (25-21) at the 6:40 mark. A little over three minutes later, two Harman free throws tied the game 29-29.
Neither team would lead by more than a possession for the rest of the first half. A Kelly Noll jumper with seven seconds to play in the half gave the visitors as 34-32 edge at the break.
Noll found the basket again midway through the third quarter to put Wilmington ahead 47-43, but similar to the team's first meeting at Fred Raizk Arena, the third quarter proved to be the Quakers' undoing. Capital, which outscored Wilmington 20-6 in the third back on Jan. 3, ended the third quarter on an 11-0 run to complete a 22-13 quarter.
Trailing 54-47 as the fourth quarter back, the Quakers would get within six (65-59) on a Mackenzie Campbell jumper with 3:10 to play, but a quick 8-0 run from Capital closed the game for the Crusaders.
"I was really pleased with our comeback in the second quarter," Head Women's Basketball Coach Jerry Scheve said. "We didn't shoot the ball well in the second half, and their defense had something to do with that."
Wilmington finished 20-of-55 (36.4 percent) for the game compared to Capital's 50 percent. The Quakers did make five three-pointers and converted 16-of-21 (76.2 percent) attempts from the free throw line while the Crusaders made 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) from distance and 12-of-16 (75.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
Individually, Campbell finished with 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field to go along with five rebounds and two blocks. Noll added 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks while Harman had nine points and six rebounds. Brooke Davis added six points and four rebounds off the bench.
Caroline Taphorn led all scorers with 20 points off the bench for Capital.
Wilmington (11-13, 6-11 OAC) has clinched a berth in the OAC Tournament and will be the No. 7 seed with either a win or a John Carroll University loss on Saturday. The Quakers host Baldwin Wallace University for senior day at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
