By Molly Burnell Sports Information Assistant
November 22, 2004

The Bluffton University women's basketball team (1-1) started the season this past weekend at the Wilmington Tournament.  In the first game the Beavers took on the defending NCAA Div. III national champions, dropping the game to Wilmington 72-50.  The second game on Saturday gave Bluffton their first win of the season 75-62 against Penn State Altoona.

Sophomore Tanya Rickenberg (Defiance/Paulding) led the Beavers against Wilmington with 11 points, five rebounds, and four steals.  Freshman Ashleigh Stallkamp (Paulding/Paulding) added ten points, and two rebounds for Bluffton.

Stallkamp led the Beavers in the second game against Penn-State Altonna, with 24 points and seven rebounds.  For her efforts on the weekend, Stallkamp was named to the all-tournament team.  Junior Karin Schaller (Jenera/Arlington) contributed nine points, nine rebounds, three steals and seven blocks to the Bluffton total.

The Beavers will be back in action on Tuesday with a road game at Oberlin, tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. The team will also be on the road on Friday when they travel to Ohio Wesleyan. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Bluffton will open the 2004-05 home season on Saturday in Founders Hall as they face Heidelberg at 5 p.m.

-BEAVERS-