COLUMBUS – The Capital University women's basketball team saw its five-game winning streak snapped Saturday in an 80-64 setback against 21st-ranked John Carroll in an Ohio Athletic Conference affair at the Capital Center.

With the loss, the Crusaders (13-7 overall, 10-4 OAC) drop to two games behind the Blue Streaks for first place in the league with four games to play.

Sophomore guard Simonne Gage (Dayton, Ohio) tallied 10 of her team-high 12 points in the second half to lead Capital, which shot 34.3 percent from the floor and 13-for-25 (52 percent) at the free throw line. Sophomore forward Kristen Thompson (Cincinnati, Ohio) registered six points and a game- and career-high 17 rebounds.

Senior guard Cookie Geroski (Fostoria, Ohio) totaled all nine of her points in the first half and grabbed seven rebounds. Junior guard Shelby Sheets (Fayetteville, Ohio), sophomore guard Nina Napolitano (Akron, Ohio) and freshman guard Lauren Stefancin (Mentor, Ohio) recorded eight points apiece.

John Carroll (17-2, 12-2) shot 59.1 percent in the second half, when it extended its lead, and hit 43.1 percent from the floor in the game. The Blue Streaks made 33-of-41 at the free throw line.

Capital forced 20 turnovers in the contest and its bench outscored John Carroll's, 29-26.

The Blue Streaks jumped out to a 14-3 advantage just over six minutes into the contest. The Crusaders, who entered the game committing the second-fewest turnovers per game in the league, posted six miscues during that span to help John Carroll take command of the contest.

Capital cut the Blue Streaks' lead to 24-17 at the 4:59 mark, when Sheets knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner.

Geroski and Napolitano sparked a 7-0 Crusaders run to make it 28-24 Blue Streaks with 2:36 to play in the period. John Carroll led 30-26 heading into the locker room.

Capital struggled to find its offensive rhythm early in the second half as the Blue Streaks extended their lead to 46-32 with 14:10 to play. The Crusaders got as close as seven following a lay-up by senior forward Jamie Caton (Hilliard, Ohio) at the 11:41 mark, but John Carroll continued to expand its advantage, leading by as many as 26 later in the period.

Both teams paid tribute to Payne Sigman, a senior at Bellbrook High School and the brother of Capital sophomore Shelby Sigman, as part of the #Play4Payne campaign. Payne is currently undergoing treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital after sustaining life-threatening injuries in a car accident late last month.

Sigman entered the game late in the second half and converted her lone field goal attempt on a spin move to the basket.

Capital visits Marietta at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday before closing the regular season with three consecutive home games.