Hermiller, Kocian post career nights to lead Women's Basketball past Ohio Wesleyan 65-61

By: Andrew Korba

DELAWARE -- Senior Taylor Hermiller scored a career-high 15 points and senior Sara Kocian added a career best 13 points, to lead the Ohio Northern women's basketball team past non-conference foe Ohio Wesleyan by a 65-61 score on Wednesday evening at Branch Rickey Arena.

The Polar Bears improve to 5-2 on the season, while the Battling Bishops fall to 3-5.

Hermiller went 6-for-8 from the field and also pulled down four rebounds.

Kocian was 4-of-6 in shooting, including 2-for-2 in three pointers, while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing out five assists.

Sophomore Brooke Espenschied scored 11 points and senior Cenzie Yoder had 10 points and seven rebounds.

A layup by Hermiller with 5:15 remaining gave ONU its largest lead of the evening at 60-53.

Ohio Wesleyan would score the next five points, but a jumper by Yoder pushed the Polar Bears lead back to 62-58 with 2:41 left to play.

The Battling Bishops came right back on a three pointer by Kierstynn Myers to cut the Northern lead to 62-61.

But ONU responded on its next possession, when Kocian drained a three pointer of her own to expand the lead back to 65-61.

The Polar Bears did not allow Ohio Wesleyan to score the rest of the game.

The Battling Bishops used an 8-2 run midway through the first half to open up a 25-17 lead.

OWU opened up its largest lead of the game at 38-28 with 29 seconds left in the first half.

Espenschied sunk two free throws just before the break, to cut the Battling Bishop lead to 38-30 at halftime.

The Polar Bears were 24-of-53 (45.3 percent) from the field and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) in three pointers, while Ohio Wesleyan was 25-of-60 (41.7 percent) in shooting and 8-of-20 (40.0 percent) from beyond the arc.

The Polar Bears won the rebounding battle 36-34.

Ohio Northern will return to action on Saturday, when it returns to OAC play with a home game against Muskingum at 2 pm.