NAPERVILLE, ILL.— The Carthage College women's basketball team's first Wednesday CCIW contest of 2017-18 pitted them at North Central College. The Lady Reds entered the bout looking to dodge a three-game skid at Gregory Arena, while the Cardinals were in pursuit of their first victory of 2017-18.   
 
The Lady Reds generated a pair of 20+ point scorers in Autumn Kalis and Rachel Szydlowski as well as a season-high 52 team rebounds, but couldn't seal the deal in an 81-77 OT loss to North Central. Kalis tallied 22 points while Szydlowski notched 21. Morgan Harris contributed a season-high 14 rebounds along with eight assists and six points. Morgan Vukovich narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds.

The Cardinals' Maya Wells led all scorers with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. 
 
Carthage falls to 4-3, 0-2 CCIW while North Central's first victory of 2017-18 gives them a 1-5, 1-1 CCIW mark.
 
Lady Reds 77, North Central 81
 
Carthage held the lead or tied all but 0:53 seconds throughout the first quarter. Their lone deficit of the opening 10:00 occurred off Maya Walls' three-pointer that gave the Cardinals a brief 6-4 advantage at the 8:19 mark. The Lady Reds locked North Central to just 3-of-11 from the three-point line in the first frame, while Carthage returned the favor with a 4-of-6 figure en route to a 21-17 lead after 10:00 of play. Sammie Woodward's two three-pointers led the Carthage charge in the first quarter.
 
The Cardinals regained leads of 24-23 and 26-25 before Autumn Kalis's jumper at the 6:52 mark of the second quarter gave Carthage a 27-26 advantage. It was a lead Carthage held onto from that point through the third quarter when the score was 52-43 heading into the final frame.
 
The Cardinals opened the fourth quarter with a 14-2 run en route to a 57-54 lead with 5:44 left in regulation. The game featured four lead changes for the remainder of regulation. Carthage's latest lead in regulation occurred with 0:52 remaining when Szydlowski's layup made the score 68-67. Maya Wells responded with a layup and free throw for North Central en route to a 70-68 lead with 0:12 left, which provoked Lady Reds head coach Tim Bernero to call a timeout.
 
The regroup paid dividends as Szydlowski's layup with 0:06 on the clock tied the game 70-70.
 
Kalis contributed four free throws and a three-pointer for Carthage in overtime, but it wasn't enough to generate another lead as North Central held onto an 81-77 victory.
 
The Lady Reds will face Augustana College (Ill.) in their first home CCIW contest of 2017-18 on Saturday, December 9 at 5:00 p.m.