HIRAM, Ohio - February 12, 2022 – After celebrating its two seniors, Cici Bright and Ella Dukarm, two fifth-years, Madison Branch and TT Wright, and second-year graduate assistant coach, Amari Stafford, Hiram women's basketball fell to the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops, 73-46, on Saturday inside Price Gymnasium on Senior Day.
 
The Battling Bishops got off to a hot start, holding the Terriers without a bucket for almost three minutes until Selena Vargas went 1-for-2 at the line to cut into OWU's 8-0 lead.
 
Down 8-1, Bright nailed a three-pointer to cut the deficit in half, but the Battling Bishops quickly extended their lead to 14-4 on Lauren Denison's three to force the Terriers to take a timeout.
 
Out of the timeout, Hiram pulled within eight on jumpers by Branch and Haley Thompson, but another Denison three-pointer gave OWU a 21-10 lead after one.
 
Kasey Schipfer made it a 13-point lead for the Battling Bishops with her layup to open the second quarter, before a 6-0 run from the Terriers, capped off by Maddie Rakestraw's jumper, cut the lead to seven.
 
However, with an 8-0 run, OWU made it a 15-point game, and eventually a 20-point lead as the Bishops pulled ahead with a big, second quarter, taking a 48-26 lead into the halftime break.
 
Ohio Wesleyan continued to extend their lead to start the third quarter, leading by as many as 32 midway through the third.
 
Hiram answered with a 6-0 run to get the deficit down to 26, and then both sides went cold from the field for the final two minutes of the third, and OWU took a 60-34 lead into the fourth.
 
In the fourth, Ohio Wesleyan led by as many as 36, their largest lead of the game, before the Terriers held the Battling Bishops scoreless for the final 5:48, using a 9-0 run over the final six minutes to make the final score to 73-46 in favor of the Bishops.
 
Hiram drops to 7-15 (3-11 NCAC) with the loss, while Ohio Wesleyan moves to 18-5 (11-3 NCAC) with the win.
 
Rakestraw led the Terriers with 12 points, while Vargas added nine points and a team-high six boards.
 
Defensively, Alex Lichner led the Terriers with four steals and two blocks, while Branch added a team-high six assists.
 
Hiram next wraps up their home slate on Sunday, Feb. 13 when they host the 13th-ranked DePauw University Tigers at 2 p.m. inside Price Gymnasium.