From Case Western Reserve University Athletics

Senior wing Brooke Orcutt (Morrison, Colo./Dakota Ridge) tallied a season-high 23 points as the Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team earned it's first University Athletic Association win of the season by a score of 58-51 against Brandeis University (Mass.) on Sunday afternoon at Horsburgh Gymnasium.

The Spartans are now 7-7 overall and 1-2 in the UAA, while the Judges drop to 9-4 (1-2 UAA).

In addition to her 23 points, Orcutt added three steals. Senior forward Berit Eppard (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) also scored in double-figures with a 10-points, six-rebound effort.

The Judges were led by Niki Laskaris with 14 points and seven boards as well as Hannah Cain with 10 points and three assists. 

In a low-scoring first half, the Judges led by a half-high of five (8-3) after a jumper by Laskaris.  Although the Spartans began to close the gap (11-9) with 11:02 on the clock, the game was scoreless until another Judges basket by Laskaris at 6:35. CWRU then went on a five-point run starting with an Eppard jumper and would end the half up 27-21 as Eppard hit another jumper with 0:17 remaining.

The Judges fought to tie the score twice in the second half, but it wasn't enough to ever gain the lead as CWRU extended the margin by as much as eight with 9:29 left to play as Orcutt hit two free throws. After the second tie at 47-47 with 3:07 left to play, the Spartans went on a six-point run led by an Orcutt jumper. Senior point guard Amanda Germer (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) scored a layup to end the spurt and solidify the win for the Spartans.