PEPPER PIKE, Ohio – After the first quarter at Ursuline, the Notre Dame College women's basketball team trailed 19-9, but the Falcons outscored their hosts 68-41 to win 77-60.
 
With the first 10 minutes of the first game after the winter break over, NDC was able to regroup in the second quarter and out-pace the Arrows 22-13 to make it a one-point contest going into halftime.
 
The Falcons looked like a modern NBA team in the second quarter, earning all their points from inside the paint or outside the three-point line. Notre Dame scored 16 of its second-quarter points inside while Seina Adachi and Alli DeLaney each one from distance.
 
DeLaney made two from beyond the arc throughout the game, but her first was the shot that put NDC within one (32-31) as the teams headed to the locker rooms at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the Falcons took off from where they left, going on a 10-point run to open the third quarter. Notre Dame grabbed onto a 41-32 lead in the first 2:15 of quarter three and did not look back.
 
NDC would cap off the game with a 22-11 fourth quarter. The Falcons started the game trailing by as many as 12 and ended with a 17-point victory. Head coach Lauren Macer said her team stayed determined to win despite the rocky start.
 
"They just kept encouraging each other to keep shooting and keep attacking," Macer said. "We focused on defending and communication with one another and found our rhythm."
 
Part of that rhythm came from the NDC's rebounding in the final three quarters. Ursuline held a 13-9 rebounding advantage in the first quarter, but the rest of the game fell to Notre Dame's advantage as the Falcons secured 28 boards compared to the Arrows' 17.
 
Leading the way for Notre Dame were two guards. Kyleigh Ramlow and Adachi led the Falcons with nine and seven rebounds, respectively. The two also led both teams in scoring as Adachi put up 17 and Ramlow scored 15.
 
"They just both had the mindset of needing to work hard and make sure we boxed out or crashed the boards," Macer said. "They both gave such a great effort along with the rest of the team."
 
Katie Karalic finished the game with eight points and a team-high four assists while Abi Oriti scored seven points and blocked one shot.
 
Notre Dame will resume Mountain East Conference play on Thursday, January 10. The Falcons host Glenville State at 5:30 p.m.