By: Nathan Zuercher, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Beavers got the best of the Quakers for the second night in a row. Bluffton took down visiting Earlham 59-38 on Saturday, Jan. 23. With this win, the Beavers moved to 10-1 on the season following a pair of sweeps to open 2021.
Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) was focused right out of the gate, netting six points in the first quarter. Sophomore guard Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) was distributing the rock in the first, handing out two assists as well as knocking down an early three. At the end of the first the Beavers held an 18-12 lead.
In the second it was more of the same with Gillig scoring another six and Shardo dialing long distance. Freshman Sydney Cavanaugh (Mansfield/St Peter's) got involved off the bench, hitting a deep trifecta, helping the Beavers open a comfortable 32-17 margin at the half.
Shardo exploded in the third quarter, netting three more triples en route to five of them for the evening. Freshman point guard Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) hit a three as well, allowing the home team to double up Earlham, 54-27, heading to the final stanza.
In the fourth, Kylie Brock (Villa Hills, KY/Dixie Heights) broke the silence, scoring three of the Beavers five fourth quarter points late in the game. Taylor Malson (Castalia/Margaretta) made two of three free throws with 20 ticks remaining to seal the 59-38 victory on Saturday evening.
The two high scorers for the Beavers with 15 apiece were Shardo and Gillig. Gillig also grabbed 10 boards in the game for a hard-earned double double. Malson, Shardo and Abbie Parkins (Bluffton) took care of the ballhandling duties, all dishing out three assists in the victory. Shardo was 5-of-11 from distance.
The Beavers shot 30.3 percent (20-of-66) from the field, compared to the Quakers 25 percent (11-of-44). From deep, Bluffton was (9-for-26), shooting 34.6 percent, while Earlham missed all 10 of its attempts from outside the arc. Bluffton took advantage of the Earlham miscues with a commanding 30-13 edge in points off turnovers and Bluffton's bench outscored the Quakers 23-9. The Beavers turned it over 20 times, but the Quakers topped them with 29 donations on Saturday.
The women are back in action next Friday, Jan. 29, at Manchester. Tip-off with Spartans, who the Beavers played four times back in November, is slated for 7 p.m.
-BEAVERS-