Laura Gruber's 11 points off the bench were a big factor in JCU's road win at Muskingum
box score
John Carroll did not have all the usual drama that has accompanied some of its most recent victories, instead opting for a wire-to-wire 67-55 victory over Ohio Athletic Conference rival Muskingum College Wednesday night in New Concord.
The victory helped the Blue Streaks match a season-best five-game winning streak, and also marked JCU's fourth consecutive road triumph that dates back to December 28, 2007.
Rachael Price set the tone by making a three-point field goal to open the scoring. John Carroll's second made three-point field goal of the game, launched successfully by Lana Kiko, would give JCU its first double-digit lead of the contest, 16-6, with exactly ten minutes left ont he first half clock.
The Blue Streaks would lead by as many as 12 points, but an 8-2 run by Muskingum to close out the half left John Carroll with a 29-23 advantage when the teams headed to the locker rooms.
Drama did make a brief appearance in the second half. Muskingum's Laura Gibson drained a three-point field goal that sliced John Carroll's lead down to three at 40-37 with 14:38 remaining in the contest.
That would be where drama made a quick exit stage right. Price would book end a 12-0 run with a matching pair of three-point field goals that put John Carroll ahead, 52-37, at the 9:31 mark.
Host Muskingum would have one last run in it. When Kassie Wagner dropped in a lay-up with 5:21 to play in regulation, she cut the Blue Streaks advantage to five points. But with the score at 56-51, Muskingum's next four possessions resulted in two missed shots and two turnovers.
The Blue Streaks would eventually get its offense back in gear. A Lee Jennings lay-up with 1:45 to play pushed the JCU lead back up to double digits (62-51), and the visitors were never threatened again.
In winning for the tenth time in the last 11 games, John Carroll (12-6, 7-4 OAC) received a team- and game-high 17 points from Price. Laura Gruber came off the bench to contribute 11 points, while Caitlin Sureck ripped down a game-high 13 rebounds -- matching a career best.
Muskingum (8-9, 3-8 OAC) was paced by a double-double from Jessica McKenzie, who tallied 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Muskies were hampered by committing 24 turnovers as compared to just nine by the Blue Streaks.
