Box Score
LANGHORNE, PA - Thursday's opening round affair with Ohio Christian University ended up being built around a trio of runs.
For PBU, they came up one spurt short.
During opening day of the NCCAA National Tournament, the Trailblazers bettered the Crimson Eagles by capitalizing around the rim while proving assassin-like from the charity stripe down the stretch. Ohio Christian used a blue-collar effort during the second stanza to help push the group past PBU for the second time this year, their most recent victory coming in the form of a 62-55 dogfight Thursday.
Seeded third overall, the Trailblazers looked like the higher seed from the outset as the group sprinted out to a 12-4 edge within the first six minutes of action. However, the Crimson Eagles would respond by drilling 26 of the next 32 points, sparked by 17 points from the combo of PBU guards Dani Norton and Careth Herron. The Crimson Eagles would ultimately go into the break with a 29-23 edge.
However, whatever momentum the Crimson Eagles enjoyed quickly disappeared as the start of the second half didn't go quite as smoothly for the sixth seed. Ohio's full court pressure proved to be a nuisance for PBU as the red and white struggled to break the Trailblazers' high energy defensive scheme.
OCU began the second period on an 18-4 run to break open an eight point lead at 41-33. The Trailblazers managed to sustain their edge for the middle part of the stanza before a last ditch effort from the Crimson Eagles down the stretch.
A scooping hook in the paint from senior point guard Sarah Oessenich brought PBU to within three, their closest mark since early in the period. But a perfect six for six effort from the free throw stripe down the stretch for Ohio Christian proved to be the difference-maker in the Trailblazers' seven point win.
The Crimson Eagles were led by Dani Norton's 17 points in 38 minutes of action while Careth Herron added 15. Lindsey Forwalt finished as the only other player in double-figures, chipping in 12 for the game.
With national championship thoughts officially out of reach, the women's basketball team will look to bounce back during a 4:00 pm match-up with seventh seeded Manhattan Christian College on Friday.
