TIFFIN, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team found its groove while taking down Heidelberg University 78-70 for its first win of the season on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. Bluffton improved to 1-3 as the Student Princes slipped to 2-2.
Buckets by sophomores Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) and Katie Neuhart (Delaware/Delaware Christian) followed by a pair of Olivia Zender (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) freebies had the Beavers up 6-2 with 6:31 to play in the first quarter. Sophomore Kyla Columber (Marion/Pleasant) hit from deep and Breena Plank (Ashland) connected with Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) just before the buzzer as Bluffton led 18-11 after one frame.
Heidelberg opened the second quarter with seven straight counters, but Katie Sims (Perrysburg) and Tamron Brinkman (Dayton/East Dayton Christian) got in the scoring column as the visitors responded with a 6-0 spurt. Zender drove to the rack and Sims buried a triple for a 29-24 lead at the break.
Neuhart dropped back-to-back deuces in the first minute of the third, making it a nine-point spread (33-24). Following a pair of Heidelberg triples, Neuhart converted an old-fashioned three-point play for a 36-30 lead. The Student Princes trimmed their deficit to a single point late in the third, however, Zender and Prigge both scored to give Bluffton a 50-47 advantage with 10 minutes to play.
A hoop and harm for Zender before a Columber make from distance gave the Beavers a 62-53 lead with six minutes on the clock. Neuhart's jumper pushed it to 69-59 at the 3:48 mark and Bluffton salted it away with seven straight foul shots, including four from Columber, as the visitors handed Heidelberg a 78-70 setback.
Zender would not be denied as she finished with career highs of 21 points and 11 boards for her first collegiate double double! She scorched the nets with 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 7-for-9 at the line. Neuhart's 17 points were a career high and she was efficient, going 7-of-14 from the field. Columber notched double digits with 10 points, while Fenstermaker and Prigge added eight points apiece. Fenstermaker chipped in with eight rebounds and four dimes.
Bluffton hit 28-of-67 from the field for a season-best 41.8 shooting percentage. The Beavers were outstanding at the line, converting 19-of-23 freebies for 82.6 percent. The visitors pulled down 41 rebounds and turned it over just eight times on Tuesday night.
Bluffton will celebrate Thanksgiving before kicking off Heartland Conference action next Saturday, Dec. 2, when Rose-Hulman comes to town for a 1 p.m. tip in the Sommer Center.
-BEAVERS-