Late game composure pays dividends for good teams. The nationally ranked John Carroll University women's basketball team demonstrated late game composure on Saturday afternoon.
 
Behind clutch free throws and timely steals John Carroll topped Marietta 67-63 inside the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.

"Our seniors took over," said assistant coach Alicia Manning. "We had the ball in the right people's hands that knew how to maintain the pressure and maintain the game clock. You can't really teach that as much as it comes naturally for some of them.

"That was a tough win, especially after finals and going into Christmas. Our team did a great job."
 
Marietta pulled within one at 64-63 on Jordanna Rauch's 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining. Having to foul, the Pioneers fouled Blue Streak freshman Shmoo Pryor. The freshman responded making both free throws to make it a 66-63 John Carroll lead with 11 seconds remaining.

Said Manning, "Shmoo controlled the ball, got fouled and made some really big free throws for some freshmen."
 
Sophomore Katlyn Spahar came up with a steal on the ensuing Marietta possession to seal the game.

"Katlyn had a big game," said Manning. "She came out. Her defense created a lot of offense for her. She had some huge steals at the end and made some clutch free throws."
 
In a back-and-forth affair, neither team was able to pull ahead by more than four points in the first half. The opening 20 minutes featured seven lead changes and five ties.
 
Senior Emily Taylor connected on a 3-point buzzer-beater to end the first half tying the score at 28.
 
It would be a different tale in the second half as the first 90-plus seconds were all John Carroll.
 
John Carroll would race out on a 7-0 run to start the second frame led by Taylor. The senior had two steals and a 3-pointer on the run to open up a 35-28 JCU advantage.
 
After Marietta tied the score at 38 with 15:17 remaining, John Carroll went on a second 7-0 run of the half to open up a 45-38 lead. Spahar had a big role in the run with a field goal, an assist and a steal.
 
Marietta pulled within one at 61-60 with 45 seconds remaining. Spahar came through putting John Carroll up four after a steal and free throw with 24 seconds remaining in the contest.
 
The sophomore led John Carroll with 25 points and five steals on the afternoon. Beth Switzler narrowly missed a double-double finishing with 10 rebounds and eight points.
 
Morgan Liedtke led Marietta with 14 points.
 
John Carroll improved to 8-1, 3-1 OAC while Marietta fell to 4-6, 1-4 OAC.
 
John Carroll returns to action with a 1 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at Case Western Reserve University.