CLEVELAND – Despite leading by 11 in the second half, the Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team fell in a New Year's Eve clash with No. 25 John Carroll University by a score of 78-66 at Horsburgh Gymnasium.
The Spartans (5-5) suffer their first home loss of the 2014-15 season. The Blue Streaks (9-1) trailed by 11 on three separate occasions but rode second-half runs of 13-0 and 12-0 to win their third in a row.
CWRU was led by junior post Laura Mummey (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) with 16 points and five rebounds. Senior wing Brooke Orcutt (Morrison, Colo./Dakota Ridge) also scored 16, while senior forward Berit Eppard (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) added 10 points and five boards.
Four scored in double-figures for JCU; Shmoo Pryor (21), Beth Switzler (18), Meghan Weber (14) and Katlyn Spahar (12). Switzler added a game-high eight rebounds.
The Spartans never trailed in the first half but twice built an advantage of 11. Sophomore guard Jessica McCoy (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) converted a layup at 3:28 to make the score 33-22, and Orcutt hit two free throws at 2:35 to push the count to 35-24. John Carroll then scored four of the final six in the period to bring the halftime score to 37-28. The Blue Streaks finished the first 0-for-7 shooting from three-point range.
In the second, the Spartans built their third 11-point advantage when senior guard Rachel Beaty (Carrollton, Texas/Hebron) nailed a three-pointer to make the score 53-42 with 14:20 remaining. John Carroll then rallied with 13 in a row over the next 5:40 to move ahead 55-53. Emily Taylor tied the score at 9:08 with her team's first three of the game then gave the Blue Streaks their first lead with two free throws at 8:40.
Two ties followed in the next minute, but John Carroll went ahead for good with a 12-0 run which culminated in a Pryor layup with 3:05 left to play. That 69-57 deficit would be too much for the Spartans to overcome.
The Spartans are right back in action at home this Saturday, January 3 versus Ohio Northern University at 3:00 p.m.