By Bill Hanefeld Jr., sports information director
November 23, 2005

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team gave new head coach Chad Shutler his first collegiate victory in that position when it defeated Oberlin College in the 2005 home opener by a final tally of 66-62 on November 22. The Beavers played the first game of a home opening doubleheader with the Bluffton University men's squad in front of a raucous crowd at Founders Hall. Bluffton shot a whopping 54 percent (25-46) from the field while holding Oberlin to 34 percent (22-65).

The Yeowomen led by as many as 11 points early in the first half as JESSICA ORAM, who finished with a game-high 30 points, controlled the paint on the Oberlin end of the floor. She knocked down eight of 13 shots in the first half as she posted 18 points in the initial stanza. Sophomore ASHLEIGH STALLKAMP (Paulding/Paulding) kept the Beavers in the game as she hit five of six from the field and handed out three assists in the first half. Oberlin went cold in the final minutes before halftime and the Beavers clawed back into the game when they capitalized on Yeowomen turnovers. Bluffton outscored Oberlin 18-11 during the last 10 minutes of the first half to take a 34-32 lead at the break.

During the second half the lead changed hands repeatedly before the Beavers went ahead for good on a Stallkamp jumper with 3:26 to play. Junior TANYA RICKENBERG (Paulding/Paulding) sealed the victory for the Beavers when she calmly sank two free throws with time winding down to put Bluffton up 66-60. An Oram bucket as time expired provided the final margin as the Beavers picked up a win in their 2005 Founders Hall opener.

Sophomore post LINDSAY BUSH (Howard/East Knox) led the way for Bluffton as she scored a career-high 18 points and pulled down five rebounds. Stallkamp finished with 14 points, a team-high eight rebounds and a career-high nine assists. Rickenberg rounded out the double-digit scorers for Bluffton as she tallied 10 points on the evening. Freshman forward SARAH BRUNER(Wauseon/Pettisville), who narrowly missed double-digits for the third consecutive game, and sophomore guard AMANDA BELL(Napoleon/Napoleon) chipped in with nine and eight points respectively in the victory.

Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, November 22, 2005 when it welcomes the Tri-State Thunder to Founders Hall. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.