BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team dominated Franklin College in a 72-54 victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Bluffton improved to 4-9 overall and 2-4 in the Heartland Conference, while FC dropped just its second conference game, falling to 9-4 and 4-2 in the HCAC.
Bluffton struggled coming out of the gate, trailing 14-8 and 17-12 before an 8-2 spurt put the good guys up 20-19 after period one. Katie Neuhart (Delaware, Ohio/Delaware Christian) and Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) bucketed five points apiece in the first quarter.
Kyla Columber (Marion/Pleasant) hit from distance, helping Bluffton go up 27-21 before the Grizzlies rallied with seven straight for a one-point lead. Following a Neuhart jumper, Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) nailed a three and then dropped in a pair of freebies for a 36-28 Bluffton spread. Olivia Zender (Fostoria/Hopewell Louden) and Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) hit late baskets on the way to a commanding 42-33 lead at the break.
The Bluffton defense was stifling in the third quarter, allowing just one bucket with 1:27 on the clock, as the Beavers pushed their spread to 50-35 with one period to play.
Franklin never got closer than 13 points and the home team led by as many as 22 (68-46) following a Prigge triple! Neuhart and Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) put the exclamation point on Bluffton's 72-54 shellacking, getting to rack for a pair of chip shots over the final minute and a half.
Fenstermaker just missed out on a double double, scoring a game-high 16 points while ripping down nine rebounds! Neuhart and Prigge dropped in 13 apiece, while Zender added 10 counters and a game-high five dimes in her return to the court. Lindsey Smith (Mount Victory/Kenton) led the Beavers with 10 boards, while Neuhart and Fitzpatrick finished with eight and seven caroms apiece. Fenstermaker and Smith swatted away with career-highs of four and three blocks, respectively!
Bluffton hit 25-of-59 from the field (42.4 percent), compared to just 21-of-69 (30.4 percent) for the visitors. The home team cashed in with an 18-of-24 (75.0 percent) afternoon at the stripe. Bluffton pulled down 14 more rebounds (49-35) and both teams coughed it up 16 times. The Beavers got it done with a season-high 10 blocked shots!
Bluffton will hit the road for a short trip to Defiance on Wednesday, Jan. 10, where the Beavers take on the Yellow Jackets at 6 p.m. in the Weaner Center.
-BEAVERS-
