Szall rallies Bobcats against Zips

by Lonnie McMillan
Staff Writer

The Ohio women’s basketball team came back from a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Akron Zips 69-64 at James A. Rhodes Arena last night.

Guard Cathy Szall scored 34 points in the game — including 24 points in the second half — to help rally the Bobcats. The tally was a career-high for Szall and the most points scored by a player in the Mid-American Conference this season.

The Bobcats struggled much of the first half. Ohio (11-12 overall, 6-6 MAC) shot five-of-25 from the floor in the first half, but stayed in the game by making all 11 free throw attempts.

After Szall scored the first basket of the game, Akron (1-23, 0-13) scored eight in a row. The Bobcats got within one at 8-7, but gave up a second 8-0 run that put Akron up 16-7.

Ohio scored seven in a row, but Akron came back with a 13-4 run to push its lead to 29-18. The Zips led 31-22 at the break.

Akron guard Celina Dopoulos made three consecutive three-pointers late in the first half that sparked the Zips.

Ohio coach Lynn Bria said missed shots and turnovers plagued the Bobcats in the first half.

“In the first half we got some great shots, but we didn’t hit any of them,” she said. “When you’re not hitting shots, you’ve got to play better defense and not have as many turnovers as we had.”

The second half was a completely different story. Ohio made 17-of-25 shots, and after Akron scored the first eight points of the half, the Bobcats outscored the Zips 47-25.

Akron scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 39-22 lead. All of the points came within the first minute of the half and before Ohio took a field goal attempt.

Szall scored seven points in a 26-5 Ohio run that followed and gave the Bobcats a 48-44 lead. The run included a stretch of 14 consecutive Ohio points. The Zips responded with eight straight points to reclaim the lead.

Ohio took the lead for good at 60-54 behind four Szall three-pointers in a 12-2 run.

Bria said Ohio played much better in the second half, but cannot depend on Szall too much.

“In the second half, offensively and defensively, we did so much better,” she said. “But we need to have more people hitting shots for us besides Szall.”

Bria said Ohio took Akron too lightly early in the game.

“Sometimes we’re not at the maturity level where we can come out and execute no matter what,” she said.

Forward Lori Moorman added 16 points for Ohio. Guard Jen Arnold and center Cassandra Martin led Akron with 11 points each. Guard Lindsay Hemmelgarn added 11 points for the Zips.

The win moves Ohio within one game of second place Miami in the MAC East Division. The Bobcats play Buffalo 1 p.m. Saturday at The Convo.