December 13, 2000

The Bluffton College women's basketball team scored a hard-fought 70-61 victory over Ohio Northern University Wednesday night in Founders Hall. The win was the first for Bluffton over ONU since 1982, breaking a seven-game winning streak by ONU over the Beavers.

Bluffton improves to 3-3 on the season and will be in action next at the Adidas Desert Shootout in Las Vegas next week. Ohio Northern falls to 2-5 and will host John Carroll University on Saturday.

Bluffton took a 35-29 halftime lead and went up by 10 points early in the second half, but a determined ONU squad came back to trail by just three points with 7:30 left in the game. A 10-2 Bluffton run at that point, however, swung the momentum back to the Beavers who hit five free throws in the final two minutes of play to seal the win.

The two teams combined for 45 personal fouls and 47 turnovers.

Bluffton's Elizabeth Snavely (Defiance) led all scorers with 15 points, while Michelle Ray (Kenton) chipped in 10 points. Melissa James (LaRue/Elgin) nailed three of four 3-pointers for nine points.

Three ONU players hit for double figures, led by Angie Zinser and Alena Wannemacher with a dozen points each. Meredith VanDyck added 10 points for the Polar Bears.