November 17, 2007

MEADVILLE, Penn. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team saw its five-point lead with 9:23 to play evaporate as Grove City took home the Allegheny Tip-Off championship with a 55-51 victory over the Beavers on Saturday, November 17, 2007. Turnovers and a poor shooting night were a bad combination as the Beavers committed 23 miscues and converted on only 17-of-46 attempts from the field for 37 percent.

Bluffton was held scoreless through the first 6:34 of the game until Angie Lee (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) and Amanda Bell (Napoleon/Liberty Center) hit consecutive threes to knot the score at six with 12:44 to play in the opening half.

Following a Kim Miller (Delphos/St. John's) hoop that tied the game at 10, sophomore Vicki Auer (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) hit from long range for a 13-10 Bluffton lead. Another Bell triple made the score 17-14 in favor of the Beavers with just under three minutes to play in the first period.

Auer and Lee both made a pair of free throws late in the half as Bluffton took a 23-21 lead into the break.

Senior post Lindsay Bush (Howard/East Knox) went to work on the blocks to open the second half and she dropped in seven points in less than three minutes to give the Beavers a 32-28 lead.

Following Bush's surge, Bluffton's offense dried up for over six minutes as the Beavers failed to score a point until she freed herself in the paint with 10:48 to play in the game. Another Bush basket made the score 37-32 in favor of the Beavers less than two minutes later.

An Angie Lee trifecta out the Beavers up 46-44 at the 4:27 mark, but Grove City went on an 8-1 run over the next three minutes to open up a 52-47 lead over Bluffton. Lee cut the deficit to three points with a pair of foul shots with 1:06 on the clock before the Wolverines sealed the deal when Katy McCready drained two freebies with 13 seconds for a 55-51 victory over the Beavers.

Lee, who dished out a team-high four assists, led the Beavers with 14 points, including two three-pointers. Bush and Bell chipped in with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Bush pulled down 10 rebounds and Miller added eight boards. Bell picked up three steals in the loss to the Wolverines. Lindsay Bush and Angie Lee were both named to the National City Tip-Off All-Tournament Team for their efforts on the hardwood over the weekend.

Bluffton returns to action on Tuesday, November 17, when it hosts Earlham College in the 2007-08 home opener. The contest is slated to tip at 6 p.m. in Founders Hall.

-BEAVERS-