TIFFIN, OHIO -- The last time John Carroll University Women's Basketball stepped onto the basketball court for an OAC contest, they fell to their rival Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets in the conference championship game. 

Add in the fact that they had a nearly 300-day layoff due to COVID-19 and that they were returning their entire starting lineup from last year, one could say that the Blue Streaks were more than eager to start the new season on the right foot. That translated into a resounding 80-45 defeat over Heidelberg University in Tiffin on Friday night, giving first-year Head Coach Beth Andrews her first win as head coach for the Blue and Gold.

Both teams shook off the rust in the early going by trading 23 combined turnovers with one another in the first half alone, but JCU pulled ahead with a 22-13 lead after one quarter. 

The Blue and Gold did more of the same in the second quarter, outscoring the Student Princes, 26-14. Strong play on both sides of the court culminated in an impressive 48-27 halftime lead.

In the first half, the Blue Streaks were led by 12 points from Abby Adler and 8 points, 7 rebounds, & 3 assists from 2019 OAC Player of the Year Nicole Heffington.

The second half started with more of the same as JCU relied on their stingy defense to hold Heidelberg to 7 points in the third quarter as they went into the final stanza leading 65-34.

The fourth quarter was a mirror image of the previous three, as the Blue Streaks coasted to a 35-point win to start the new season 1-0.

Heffington (16), Gabby Gevaudan (14), Adler (14), and Kaelyn Underwood (12) all finished in double figures for the Blue and Gold. Underwood and Heffington also added eight rebounds apiece.

For Heidelberg, they were led by Kalie Rettos (16) and Taylor Reppart (7) in scoring. Bailey Walter and Sadie Chaney tallied six rebounds apiece as well.

As a team, the Blue Streaks outshot Heidelberg from the field (49.2%-29.8%), outscored Heidelberg on fast break points (23-4), and forced an astounding 33 turnovers on defense.

Those three figures alone explain how the Blue and Gold used a strong team effort to coast to a wire-to-wire victory on Friday night.

Thanks to the new OAC schedule format, JCU (1-0) hosts Heidelberg (0-1) in a back-to-back at 6:00 pm on Saturday night at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.