Attrition as much as any other factor played a role in John Carroll's 103-97 loss in triple overtime to Muskingum University Saturday in New Concord, Ohio.

The Blue Streaks simply ran out of key players.

Nicole Heffington, Abby Adler, Dani Carlson and Sarah Sprecher all had to leave the game with five fouls. On the other bench, the host squad didn't lose a single player to disqualification.

The free throw discrepancy told the story. Muskingum was 32-40 at the free throw line, while John Carroll was 12-22. 

It was a resilient effort all around for John Carroll, who seemed down and out in the early going as the Fighting Muskies took a 25-10 lead with just under two minutes to play in the opening period. A 7-2 burst by the Blue Streaks kept the game within striking distance as Muskingum held a 27-17 lead after one period of play.

When Olivia Besancon sunk a three-pointer at the 7:36 mark of the second quarter, the Muskies took a 35-22 lead.

It was there that the battle was joined. John Carroll scored 18 of the final 25 points of the half -- including the last seven, to pull within two points, 42-40, at the break.

Heffington started off the third period with a three-point field goal that gave John Carroll its first lead of the day at 43-42 with 8:35 showing on the clock. For the remainder of the period, neither team led by more than three points as there were seven ties and six lead changes. The score stood 59-59 at the end of three quarters.

Late in the contest, John Carroll broke through the three-point advantage bubble as a Kahrin Spear lay-up made the score 72-68 in the Blue Streaks favor with 3:25 to play. But the youthful JCU squad would not score again the remainder of regulation, missing its final six shots from the field and two free throws. Muskingum did not fare much better, but Dana Parkman's short jumper with two seconds left knotted the score at 72-72 and sent the game to extra time.

In the first overtime, Chelbi Graham made a lay-up with 23 seconds left to tie the score at 83-83, and after a Muskie turnover, had a chance to win the game but her contested jumper in the lane was off target. Sprecher and Heffington were the first to be disqualified during the extra period. Heffington was 11-15 from the field, including 5-6 from three-point range, scoring 28 points to go with 12 rebounds. Sprecher had four points and eight rebounds at the timr she left.

Jillian Miller tried to be the hero in the second overtime, as her lay-up with 49 seconds left gave JCU a 90-88 advantage. Besancon made a lay-up at the other end to tie the game at 90-90. Adler left the contetst with 1:01 to play in the second overtime, taking with her seven points, three rebounds and two assists.

John Carroll burst out of the gate and scored the first five points to take a 95-90 lead in overtime number three. But Carlson picked up her fourth and fifth fouls in the span of 37 seconds, and her departure after scoring ten points, dishing out four assists and grabbing three boards seemed to be the last straw. Muskingum closed the game on a 13-2 run.

Bescanon led all players with 36 points, while Alexandra Carson added 23 for Muskingum (2-2, 1-0 OAC). The Muskies held a slight 54-52 edge on the glass.

Heffington and Graham scored 28 and 21 points, respectively for John Carroll (2-3, 0-1 OAC). JCU shot 39-87 (.448) from the field for the game