Case Western Reserve University senior forward Kayla Characklis matched her career-high with 21 points, but it was not enough for the Spartans who suffered an 81-66 setback to John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio on Tuesday night.

It was the second-straight loss for the Spartans who fell to 2-3 on the year, while John Carroll improved to 3-2 with the win.

Characklis shot nine-of-15 from the floor and made all three of her free throw attempts, while also leading the team with eight rebounds and two blocks. Graduate student forward Kate Montgomery was the only other CWRU player in double figures with 12 points and five rebounds in the game.

CWRU scored the first two points of the game, but the Blue Streaks followed with a 12-0 run to take the lead and went on to outscore the Spartans 29-14 in the first period. John Carroll led by as many as 20 points in the second quarter and despite the Spartans cutting the lead to 12 with under three minutes left in the half on a steal and a layup by Montgomery, John Carroll took an 18-point lead into halftime, 52-34.

In the third quarter, CWRU held John Carroll without a basket over the final four minutes of the period and climbed back into the game, cutting the lead to 10 points, 59-49, by the start of the fourth. However, that would be as close as the Spartans would get the rest of the way as the Blue Streaks held on for the 15-point win.

CWRU finished the game with a 16-2 edge in points off turnovers and a 38-34 advantage in bench points.

The Spartans will be back in action after Thanksgiving, traveling to Meadville, Pennsylvania for a 2:00 p.m. matchup against Allegheny College on Sunday, November 26.