In their best shooting performance of the season, the John Carroll women squeaked out a close one against Muskingum Wednesday night at home.

The Blue Streaks won 74-72 to improve their record to 3-5 in the conference and 6-8 overall.

It was their second straight victory and a big confidence boost for the team.

"Our team's on a roll now,'' said freshman forward Meghan Weber, who finished with a season-high 14 points. "We're really coming together."

Weber, along with sophomore forward Missy Spahar (20 points) and sophomore guard Allie Lustig  (16 points), led the team in its best field-goal shooting performance of the season. The Blue Streaks made nearly 51 percent of their field goals. Muskingum shot 46 percent from the field.

The Blue Streaks fought for every point and had to hang on tight in the final seconds to secure the victory.
What had been a six-point halftime lead for JCU ballooned to an 11-point lead early in the second half.

But that 64-53 lead with about nine minutes left in the game quickly disappeared after Muskingum went on a 15-4 run led by senior forward Hannah Nelson's eight points.  Nelson, No. 24, finished with a game-high 21 points and probably would have scored more if she hadn't fouled out with more than four minutes to go.

Nelson's last shot before she fouled out tied the game at 68. A free throw by Spahar, on a foul by Muskies' guard Gabbie Davis, gave JCU a 69-68 lead. That was the score when Nelson left the game.

"They're No. 24 was a really good player,'' Spahar said. "When we got her [to foul] out, it was our time..."
But the Muskies keep fighting, even without their top scorer on the floor.

Senior forward Amanda Dobbins (10 points) sank two foul shots to give Muskingum a 70-69 lead with about 4 minutes to go.

Weber missed a layup on JCU's next possession and then fouled Dobbins, who hit two more free throws to put the Muskies ahead, 72-69.

JCU freshman guard Beth Switzler made one of two foul shots with 2:21 left to cut their lead to two.

John Carroll coach Kristie Maravalli called a timeout to draw up a play.

But things didn't go as planned on the court. Spahar, a 12 percent 3-point shooter coming into the game, hoisted up a three and — swish— it went in, giving JCU the lead for good.

Maravalli leapt up in the air and screamed in delight.

"That was not the plan at all, " Spahar said. "I'm not a really good 3-point shooter. But it went in, thank [goodness]."
It was only the third 3-pointer she's made this season in 17 attempts.

Muskingum's Dobbins missed two 3-pointers and a jump shot in the final minute-and-a-half and teammate Suzanne Nichols (3 points) missed two free throws with nine seconds left.

Lustig made a foul shot with five seconds and Dobbin's buzzer-beater attempt clanked off the rim to seal the JCU victory.