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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Capital University women's basketball team began a three-game road stretch to conclude the regular season Saturday with a 74-58 setback against cross-town rival Otterbein in an Ohio Athletic Conference contest at the Rike Center.

The Crusaders (13-10 overall, 8-8 OAC), who have lost five straight games for the first time in program history, shot just 24.1 percent in the first half and 31.4 percent for the game. Capital is in sixth place in the league standings with two games left in the regular season. Because fifth-place Baldwin Wallace is ineligible for postseason play, the Crusaders have clinched at least one home game in the OAC Tournament.

The Cardinals (18-5, 12-4) shot 47.4 percent and knocked down 16-of-21 from the free throw line to offset their 23 turnovers.

Junior guard Cookie Geroski (Fostoria, Ohio) scored all of her game-high 22 points in the second half, to go along with a team-best nine rebounds. Senior forward Stacy Timmerman (New Bremen, Ohio) totaled 14 points and seven boards, while freshman guard Simonne Gage (Dayton, Ohio; at right) added 13 points and three steals.

"Cookie got hot in the second half and we had some good individual performances, but the bottom line is we didn't shoot it well enough to win," Capital coach Dixie Jeffers said. "We'll continue to work to get better next week in preparation for the OAC Tournament."

Otterbein jumped out to a 12-4 advantage through the first 5:30 of the contest and didn't look back. The Cardinals took their largest lead of the period, 39-19, heading into the locker room.

The Crusaders fought valiantly in the second despite trailing by as many as 30 in the frame. Capital narrowed the margin all the way down to 13 with 2:14 to play following a lay-up by Gage.

The Crusaders continue OAC play this Wednesday at Muskingum. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in New Concord, Ohio.