By: Nick Taflinger, sports information assistant
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team downed the Defiance College Yellow Jackets in dominating fashion on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, by the score of 66-48. The win helped Bluffton improve to 5-9 on the year (3-4 HCAC). Defiance fell to 3-11 overall and 2-5 in the conference.
Defiance came out of the gates in a flurry as the home team opened an 8-4 advantage with 6:25 remaining in the first period. The Beavers would respond in tremendous fashion as they finished the quarter on a 22-0 jag! Ten of the 22 points in this run were scored by freshman Brianna Gillig (New Reigel). Bluffton knocked down 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) during the quarter, including 4-for-7 (57.1 percent) from outside the arc.
The Beavers rolled off four more points to open up the second as they put together a remarkable 26-0 run for a 30-8 lead following a Nora Hemminger (McComb) layup just over a minute into the quarter. The rest of the period went back-and-forth as the home team pulled within 17 (43-26) at the break.
The third quarter saw the defenses take center stage as missed shots were the flavor of the period. Bluffton outscored the home team 12-7 to extend its lead to 55-33 heading into the final stanza. The Beavers forced DC into seven turnovers in the period and the home team shot just 2-of-8 (25 percent) in the third.
The Yellow Jackets out-pointed the Beavers 15-11 in the fourth, but it was too little, too late as the visitors earned their third HCAC victory thanks to the 66-48 shellacking.
Bluffton was led by sophomore Kylie Brock (Villa Hills, Ky.) who scored a career-high 18 points while shooting a red-hot 8-of-15 from the field. Gillig also poured in 18 counters while going an impressive 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Hemminger chipped in nine points while also dishing four assists and picking up four steals. Abbie Parkins (Bluffton) led the Beavers with seven boards.
Defiance was paced by Taylor Day as she scored 15 points while also pulling down a team-high nine rebounds. Shelby Stamm checked in with 14 points and Lauren Rogers added nine for the home team.
Bluffton connected on 25-of-57 from the field for 43.9 percent. Defiance hit just 14-of-53 for a paltry 26.4 percent. The Beavers out-rebounded Defiance, 37-35, and the visitors forced DC into seven more turnovers (25-18).
Bluffton will be back at the Sommer Center on Saturday, Jan. 12, for the first of three straight home games when they host Rose-Hulman in game two of a men's and women's doubleheader at 3 p.m. Come out and support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-