The Crusaders improve to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Lady Polar Bears falll to 9-4, 4-2 in OAC play.
Capital’s Caitlin Graessle also scored double figures with 10 points, shooting 3-of-8 from the floor.
Junior Megan Cevasco led ONU with 15 points (5-of-11), while fellow junior Erin Brand scored 13 points (4-of-8) and pulled down 10 rebounds.
In the first half, with Northern leading 16-14 at the 6:02 mark, Cevasco scored two points to ignite an 8-2 run. Brand capped the run by scoring a pair of free throws with nine seconds left in the half.
At the end of the first half, Northern led 24-14. Both teams had low field goal percentages in the first half. Northern shot 26.1 percent (6-of-23), and Capital shot 17.9 percent (5-of-28).
In the second half, Capital’s Mackenzi Thompson scored a three-pointer to spark a 23-9 run to tie the game 37-37 with 4:30 remaining.
Sophomore Emily Culbertson tied the game 43-43 with three seconds left as the second half ended.
In overtime, Caitlin Elsass scored a layup to give the Crusaders the lead 48-45 with 1:06 remaining.
The Crusaders held on to the lead as the game ended 48-47.
Capital shot 29.3 percent (17-of-58) compared to Northern’s 33.3 percent shooting (16-of-48).
Northern will return to action when they play Wilmington on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the ONU Sports Center.