By Bill Hanefeld Jr., sports information director
February 11, 2006
ANDERSON, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team (3-20, 1-11 HCAC) fell to the Anderson University Ravens at the O. C. Lewis Gymnasium by a final score of 68-65 on Saturday, February 11, 2006. The Beavers rallied from a 12-point first half deficit but could not hold on as the Ravens scored the game's final four points from the charity stripe to escape with a three point victory.
Senior KARIN SCHALLER (Jenera/Arlington) put the Beavers on the board first when she found the hoop less than a minute into the contest. The Ravens scored the game's next ten points, including consecutive layups by JESSICA HAMMAN and a trifecta from LAUREN VAIL to open up an eight point advantage at the 17:32 mark. Following an ASHLEIGH STALLKAMP(Paulding/Paulding) bucket with 12 minutes to play in the half, Bluffton found itself down by only three (14-11). The Ravens' lead hovered around five points until the 3:42 mark when Anderson rolled off four quick scores to widen the margin to 12 points with less than two minutes to play in the opening stanza. Bluffton nailed five consecutive free throws late in the half to trim the gap to nine points (39-30) at the break.
Both teams struggled to score in the opening minutes of the second half, before Bluffton put together a seven point run which included a pair of Stallkamp baskets sandwiched around a long distance ANGIE LEE (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) trifecta. When Schaller hit from in close at the 14:15 mark, she tied the game (45-45) for the fourth time. Lee and Stallkamp combined for the Beavers' next nine points to put Bluffton up 54-48 midway through the final period. The lead quickly evaporated as KAYLA MARTIN hit a layup and Vail drained a triple. MANDY SEWARD and Hamman sank three free throws to knot the game for the seventh time at 56 with six and a half minutes to play. Angie Lee drilled her third 3-pointer of the afternoon to tie the game at 63 with a minute and a half to play. Following a CHELSEA HAINES free throw, Stallkamp slashed to the hoop giving the Beavers a 65-64 lead with 52 ticks remaining. Anderson converted on four consecutive freebies in the final 14 seconds to escape with the 68-65 victory over Bluffton.
Lee led the Beavers with 20 points, including 3-7 from outside the arc. Stallkamp tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and four steals. TANYA RICKENBERG (Paulding/Paulding) finished with seven points and she led the Beavers with nine rebounds and seven assists. Sophomore LINDSAY BUSH (Howard/East Knox) swatted away four Raven offerings on the afternoon and she also scored eight points and pulled down five boards.
Bluffton returns to action on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 when it hosts HCAC rival Defiance College in Founders Hall. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-