The Ohio Northern women's basketball team dropped its first game of the season Saturday. The Polar Bears lost at Capital 53-38, falling to 6-1 on the season and 2-1 in Ohio Athletic Conference play. The Crusaders improved to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play. 

Senior Emily Mescher (Maria Stein/Marion Local) boasted a career-high 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting to pace Northern. Her previous career high was 18 points. Junior teammate Emily Brock (Akron/Revere) and freshman Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) chipped in six points apiece. 

ONU hit 26.3 percent (15 of 57) of its field-goal attempts and 14.3 percent (3 of 21) of its 3-point shots. Capital was 38.2 percent (21 of 55) from the floor and 42.9 percent (6 of 14) of its attempts from 3-point land. 

Emma Burns matched Mescher's 21 points to pace the Crusaders. 

ONU jumped out to a 12-6 advantage prior to holding a 12-11 edge at the end of the first quarter. Capital outscored the Polar Bears 17-10 in the second 10 minutes to take a 28-22 lead into halftime. Capital extended its cushion to 41-28 ahead of the fourth period. 

ONU returns to the floor Saturday at Trine (Ind.).

Men’s basketball
The Ohio Northern men's basketball team was held to 30.4% shooting by Capital as it fell 76-50 on Saturday at the ONU Sports Center.

ONU (2-5 overall, 0-3 OAC) was led by 14 points from sophomore Brandon Waugh (Columbus/Northland) while Cameron Caldwell scored 17 points to lead the Crusaders (5-4 overall, 2-1 OAC).

Senior Austin Allemeier (Elida) scored 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range and senior Caleb Bryan(Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) scored five points and a team-high 10 rebounds.

CU opened on a 14-4 run before taking a 35-23 lead into halftime.

Three-pointers by Allemeier and Waugh drew ONU to within 40-31 and 42-34, respectively.

Freshman Landen Long (Mason) converted back-to-back lay-ups to bring the Polar Bears within six, 47-41 with 11:50 to play.

From there, Capital netted 20 consecutive points to put the game out of reach with 5:23 remaining.

ONU finished the game 17-for-56 (30.4%) from the field and 10-for-28 (35.7%) on 3-pointers. CU was 31-for-56 (55.4%) from the floor and 10-for-20 (50.0%) from deep.

Capital held a 37-30 rebounding edge.

Ohio Northern will return to the court Saturday for a non-conference matchup with Manchester (Ind.) against 2 p.m.