By Bill Hanefeld Jr., sports information director
November 18, 2005
The Bluffton University women's basketball team traveled to Muskingum on Friday, November 18, 2005 to tip-off the season against the Muskies in the opening game of the Muskingum College Memorial Tournament. Although the Beavers shot 50 percent (26-32) from the field, they were unable to thwart a furious Muskingum rally that gave the Muskies a 79-75 victory. Bluffton (0-1) will now play in the consolation finals of the Memorial Tournament on Saturday, November 19 at 1:30 p.m.
The Beavers jetted out to an early 8-3 lead over Muskingum on the strength of four quick baskets by sophomore post Lindsay Bush (Howard/East Knox). Following a Muskingum timeout, the Muskies rolled off five consecutive points to tie the game at eight with 16 minutes to play in the first half. The two teams traded baskets until the six minute mark of the first half when Ashleigh Stallkamp (Paulding/Paulding) picked off a Muskingum pass following a Sarah Bruner (Wauseon/Pettisville) layup and found Tanya Rickenberg (Paulding/Paulding) under the basket to give the Beavers a 27-24 advantage. Stallkamp and Bruner each scored four points during the next four minutes to give Bluffton a 38-31 lead with two minutes to play in the first half. Tapre Young hit a shot with one minute to play narrowing the Bluffton margin to five points as the teams went to the lockers at halftime.
Bluffton opened up a 13-point advantage (53-40) following an Angie Lee (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) three-pointer and back-to-back triples by Rickenberg. Sophomore guard Amanda Bell (Napoleon/Napoleon) hit a shot to put the Beavers up 55-41 with 13 minutes to play. The Muskies then turned up the pressure on the defensive end and caused five Bluffton turnovers as they outscored the Beavers 20-5 to take a 61-60 lead with seven minutes in the game. Although Bluffton slowed the Muskingum onslaught, it could not pull away and the Muskies took the lead for good on a Young shot with less than three minutes in the game. Senior Karin Schaller (Arlington/Arlington) hit a jumper with 45 seconds on the clock but the Beavers got no closer as Muskingum held on to finish with a 79-75 opening game victory.
Bruner opened her career at Bluffton University with a double-double, 14 points and 12 rebounds. Bush hit seven of her ten shots from the field to lead the Bluffton scorers with 16 points. Schaller turned in a fine effort in the post as she also reached double digits with ten points. The Beaver frontcourt combined to hit 4-14 three-point shots, including a 3-6 night from Rickenberg who finished with 13 points and four assists. Stallkamp, who was one of five double-digit scorers for the Beavers, tallied 12 points and led the Beavers with seven assists and five steals.
Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, November 19 at 1:30 when they meet either Ohio Dominican or Ohio Valley in the consolation game of the Muskingum College Memorial Tournament.
-BEAVERS-