Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 78, Alverno 61

Sophomore guard Claire Sterling (West Jefferson) and sophomore guard Nicole Popovich (Rocky River) scored 4 points apiece as Ohio Wesleyan opened the game with an 11-0 burst and went on to a win over Alverno in the Division III St. Petersburg Classic on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Popovich knocked down a jumper from the lane on the opening possession of the game before Sterling hit a pair of free throws and a lay-in, followed by a Popovich jumper that gave the Bishops an 8-0 lead.  Junior guard Erin Delaney (Toledo/Notre Dame Academy) then converted a 3-point play for an 11-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead midway through the first quarter.

Gabby Hood hit the second of 2 free throws to put the Inferno on the scoreboard at the 4:07 mark, but Ohio Wesleyan would respond by scoring the next 10 points of the game, with Popovich and sophomore post Elea Karras (Bellbrook/Miami Valley) hitting jumpers before freshman guard Tia Karras (Bellbrook/Miami Valley) connected on a pair of 3-pointers to open up a 21-1 lead with 1:35 left in the quarter.

Ohio Wesleyan would lead, 24-4, after the first period, with the 4 points allowed by the Bishops breaking the school record for fewest points allowed in a first quarter.  The old mark of 8 was set at Wooster on Feb. 3, 2016.

Mackenzie Mathies drained a 3-pointer that brought the Inferno within 26-8 early in the second quarter, but Sterling answered with a jumper to make it 28-8, and the Ohio Wesleyan lead would remain at least 20 points until the final 90 seconds of the contest.

Sterling led the Bishops with a career-high 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.  Popovich finished with 12 points, matched her career best with 16 rebounds for her third double-double in her last 4 games, and had a team-high 3 assists.  Tia Karras finished with 11 points and Delaney added 10 points.

Mathies led the Inferno with 17 points.

Box Score