GAMBIER, Ohio — The Kenyon College women’s basketball team battled back from a big first-quarter deficit, but the Owls could not come away with a win in their North Coast Athletic Conference opener against DePauw University (4-3, 1-0 NCAC). Kenyon fell 68-46 on their home court, falling to 1-5 on the season and starting their 2022-23 NCAC campaign with a loss.
The Owls opened the game by making their first field goal, a layup by junior Claudia Cooke, but the early edge would be Kenyon’s only lead of the game. DePauw scored 18 unanswered points before Katie Orefice converted an and-one to stop the run, but the visitors led 22-7 through one quarter of play.
Kenyon played much better in the second frame, matching DePauw’s 17 points while shooting a better percentage from the floor. After conceding the first basket, the Owls soared to a 9-2 run thanks to three straight makes from three-point range. Junior Bela Krslovic dialed in two while first-year Mikayla Rudolph knocked down one. Krslovic converted three trifectas in the second frame, scoring all nine of her points in that period.
The Owls turned things around in the third quarter with offensive efficiency and stout defense, shooting 7-12 (58.3 percent) while holding the Tigers to a 5-19 (26.3 percent) clip. Kenyon outscored DePauw 17-12 in the quarter, cutting their deficit to 10, 51-41, with 10 minutes left in the game. First-year Alyssa Gest led the Owls in the third with six points, Rudolph scored five, and first-year Anissa Hardy chipped in four.
The 10-point margin is as close as Kenyon would come, however. DePauw opened the final frame with a 9-0 spurt, and Kenyon’s offense went cold as the Owls shot just 2-10 (20 percent) from the floor despite holding the Tigers to an inefficient 5-18 (27.8) mark.
The visitors benefitted from an 18-4 advantage on the offensive glass, turning their extra chances into a 15-5 edge in second-chance points and a 36-20 margin in paint points. DePauw capitalized after turning Kenyon over, leading 11-5 in steals and 13-2 in fastbreak points after forcing 19 Owls giveaways and turning it over just seven times themselves.
Rudolph led the way for Kenyon, tying a career-high in points and setting a career-best in rebounds with 11 apiece, her first career double-double. Orefice finished with nine points and a game-high six assists, matching a career-high. Krslovic (nine), Gest (eight), Hardy (five), and Cooke (four) rounded out Kenyon’s scoring.
The Owls have a quick turnaround as they welcome Penn State Shenango (7-1) to Gambier on Tuesday, Dec. 6, for their third of five consecutive home games. The contest is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff in Tomsich Arena.