UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The Owls ran into a tough road test on Saturday, falling to No. 11 John Carroll, 72-50, in North Coast Athletic Conference action. Kenyon moved to 6-15 overall and 1-9 in conference play, while the Blue Streaks improved to 19-2 overall and 8-2 in NCAC play.
The Owls had a rough day shooting the ball, going 20-for-52 (38.5 percent) from within the arc and shooting 5-for-14 (35.7 percent) from three-point land. The Blue Streaks weren't much better when it came to percentages but they did make more shots, shooting 29-for-75 (38.7 percent) from the field and 7-for-26 (26.9 percent) from three.The turning point came in the paint and on the glass, where John Carroll controlled possession after possession, finishing with a 45-25 rebounding edge, Kenyon's lowest team rebound total of the season.
Kenyon showed early signs of life from the perimeter, as sophomore
Kiana Mollabashy knocked down a three to get the Owls on the board and later added another triple to keep pace. But John Carroll steadily built momentum behind efficient looks in the paint and timely perimeter shots, stretching the lead to 26-14 by the end of the first quarter.
John Carroll kept its foot on the gas to start the second, with Ava Ryncarz scoring early again , before Kenyon briefly steadied the offense with a Mollabashy jumper. Still, every time the Owls threatened to string together stops, John Carroll found a way to extend the possession, either with an offensive board or a clean kick-out. Kenyon got a lift when both
Alyssa Gest and
Lauren Munoz hit from deep but the Blue Streaks' steady flow of paint touches kept widening the gap. By halftime, John Carroll had created a comfortable cushion, heading to the locker room up 43-26.
After the break, the Blue Streaks opened the third quarter with another push, extending the margin with a string of interior finishes and second-chance opportunities. The Owls managed to answer with buckets from first-year
Abby Burdette and Mollabashy, but John Carroll's run grew the gap to 65-36 heading into the fourth.
Kenyon kept competing down the stretch, getting productive minutes from Munoz, who knocked down a three and went a perfect 2-for-2 at the line, while classmate
Antonia Marzini continued to finish strong inside. In the end, the Blue Streaks' rebounding edge and depth proved too much, sealing the 72-50 final.
Mollabashy once again paced the Owls offensively, turning in a game-high 15 points on an efficient 6-of-10 (60 percent) shooting performance, including a strong 3-for-5 (60 percent) effort from beyond the arc. Mollabashy also added three rebounds and a steal, providing one of Kenyon's few consistent scoring sparks throughout the afternoon. She was matched in scoring by Marzini, who recorded her second-highest output of the season with 15 points of her own, knocking down 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) shots from the field while adding two rebounds and an assist. Munoz rounded out the scoring leaders for Kenyon, posting seven points in her second-highest scoring outing of the season.
The Owls will be back in action at home on Wednesday, February 11, as they host No. 7 Ohio Wesleyan University in an NCAC matchup slated for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
