BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team lost a 55-47 slugfest to Oberlin College on Saturday, Nov. 13, in the 2021-22 season opener for the Beavers. Oberlin stayed perfect at 2-0 following the victory.
Bluffton fell behind 12-5 just over six minutes into the opening period as the Yeowomen knocked down two early triples. A pair of Ella Zaborowski (Toledo/Toledo Christian) free throws and a putback by senior Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) made it 17-11 in favor of the visitors after one quarter of action.
Junior Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) dialed long distance to kick off the second stanza, but Oberlin finished the half on a 12-4 spurt that pushed its lead to 29-18 at the break.
Back-to-back hoop and harms for Morgan Smith (Arlington) and Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) followed by two more Smith freebies pulled Bluffton within five (33-28) midway through the third quarter and when Fitzpatrick knocked down a jumper at the 1:57 mark, it was a three-point game (35-32).
A Gillig deuce to open the final period made it 39-35, but that was as close as the Beavers could get. Shardo nailed a jumper and Emma Saltzman (Arcadia) hit both of her tries from the charity stripe with time winding down as Oberlin closed out a 55-47 victory on Saturday night.
Smith just missed out on a double-double with 12 points and eight boards. She was 4-of-8 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line. Seniors Gillig and Saltzman, chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively. Gillig pulled down eight caroms and Saltzman finished with six.
Bluffton struggled mightily from the field, hitting just 14-of-54 shots (25.9 percent). The Beavers were a paltry 1-of-12 (8.3 percent) from distance and 18-for-30 (60 percent) at the stripe. Bluffton pulled down five more rebounds (47-42), including 16 on the offensive glass. The Beavers also turned it over two more times (15-13).
The Beavers are back in the Sommer Center for a 7 p.m. tip-off with Olivet College on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
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