When teams with similar records and statistics get together, a close game is usually expected. That was the case when Marietta traveled to John Carroll.
With both teams battling for seeding in the OAC Tournament, Saturday's contest was a vital one.

Junior Katlyn Spahar led the Blue Streaks with 20 points and two steals as JCU defeated the Pioneers, 57-56, in University Heights, Ohio.  

Freshman Chelbi Graham contributed with 10 points of her own and seven rebounds. John Carroll improved to 12-11 on the year and 7-9 in the OAC. Marietta drops to 5-11 in the OAC, and 11-12 overall.

Marietta got off to a quick start, hitting two 3-pointers. The Blue Streaks had faced a six-point deficit in under a minute, but John Carroll would only let their foes score five more points in the period. With 1:42 left in the first quarter, Spahar would draw a charge and swing the momentum. JCU whittled the lead down to two points at 11-9.

The teams kept battling throughout the second quarter, as neither team could get a lead of more than seven points. Early off, the squads exchanged three-point shots and would be tied at 14. However, Marietta put together a 7-0 run due to some John Carroll turnovers and went up 21-17.

The Blue Streaks kept up their battle-back mentality and brought the game within three, as junior Katie Battaglia scored a buzzer-beater to bring the score to 26-23 going into the half.

It did not take long for John Carroll to tie up the game at the beginning of the third quarter, Spahar was at the center of it. The junior completed a three-point play within the first ten seconds of the third quarter to tie things up at 26.

A back-and-forth quarter would ensue from there, as both teams seemed to match each other shot for shot until the end of the quarter. Marietta maintained their lead, but now it was slim at 39-38.

The Blue Streaks gained their first lead since the 8:39 mark in the second quarter behind an early Spahar layup to go up 40-39. A Kelsey Poplawski 3-point shot on the next John Carroll possession would give the home squad a 4-point lead.

With less than a minute left, Chelbi Graham scored off a crisp Katie Battaglia assist to put JCU up 54-53. From there, the Blue Streaks would take control.

Defense and taking advantage of the free-throw line allowed John Carroll to win 57-56.

"When you get to the end of the season and all the 'what-if's' of the seeding come into play, you learn to control what you can control," said head coach Kelly Morrone. "I'm proud of how our post players stepped up with Sarah [Cairnie] out."

"We're proud of them, they're proud of themselves, and they are focused and confident right now which makes us happy."

John Carroll's next contest is against the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders. The matchup takes place Wednesday at 7:30 pm in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.