The Beavers scored first on a GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton) bucket a minute into the game. The Pioneers wasted little time taking control, going on a 7-0 run to respond to the Buckingham points. Sophomore BETH YODER (Marshallville/Smithville) put an end to the run with a three-pointer to bring the Beavers within two (7-5).

 

The Beavers struggled on the offense end of the court as they failed to score for the next six minutes due to four turnovers. Transylvania capitalized on the Bluffton dry spell as the Pioneers added 12 points to give them a 19-5 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the half. ALICIA AMIS(Woodstock/Mechanicsburg) finally slowed the onslaught by hitting a three-pointer from JENNA REYNOLDS (Logan).

 

The Pioneers slowly started to pull away as the Beavers did not have a response for their offense. The Pioneers took their biggest lead of the night at the three-minute mark with a score of 34-13. The Beavers outscored Transy 6-5 late in the period to pull within 20 (39-19) at the break.

 

The Beavers came out of the half ready to redeem themselves as they went on a 6-2 run in the first minute and half to trim the deficit to 41-25. A VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) jumper kept Bluffton within 16 as the Beavers trailed Transylvania 47-31 with 14 minutes remaining.

 

The Pioneers once again made their move as two consecutive turnovers for the Beavers gave Transylvania a 54-33 lead. Two free throws by Jenna Reynolds pulled the Beavers back within 19 at the 11-minute mark.

 

After falling behind 64-39, the Beavers tried to claw back with a RACHEL DAMAN(Defiance/Tinora) hoop that made it 64-43 with 8:18 left in the game.

 

The Pioneers responded with seven quick points, going ahead 71-43 with seven minutes left. The Beavers made it a 20-point game thanks to a Daman layup, but Transylvania answered with eight straight to give the Pioneers an 83-55 lead with just under three minutes left in the game.

 

LAUREN VOLOSIN (Pickerington/North) drained a trifecta with 18 seconds left in the game, but the Pioneers finished off Bluffton with a BEV HARRIS triple to cap the 86-60 victory on Hall of Fame Day.

 

The Beavers were led by Buckingham with 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, good for her 14th career double-double. Next in the scoring column was Daman with 12 and Reynolds with seven. BRITTANY STEGMAIER (Garfield/Trinity) added six for the Beavers. The Beavers went 23-of-55 (41.8 percent) from the field, 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from behind the arc and an outstanding 10-for-11 (90.9 percent) at the line.

 

Leading the way for the Pioneers was HOLLY MILBURN with 16, ASHLEY PAIT with 13, and OLIVIA AKRIDGE with 11. KENNAE DEMUS and BRITTANY HENDERLIGHT each added 10 for the Pioneers. Henderlight's 10 tallies left the senior guard just five from 1,000 for her career. They finished the game shooting 28-of-56 (50.0 percent) from the field, 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) from deep and 25-of-30 (83.3 percent) from the charity stripe.

 

 

The Bluffton University women's team will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to face league rival Mount St. Joseph this Wednesday, January 27. The contest will tip at 7:30 p.m.