February 19, 2011
By: Mallory Kemper, sports information intern
RICHMOND, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team traveled to Earlham College on Saturday, February 19, to take on the Quakers in Heartland Conference action. Bluffton took a 36-24 lead at the break and held on to win, 75-58, over the Quakers. Bluffton ended the season with a 10-15 record overall, including a 7-11 mark in the HCAC. Earlham finished a disappointing 0-25 overall and 0-18 in their first season as a member of the Heartland Conference.
Back-to back three-pointers by BRITTANY LEWIS (Springfield/Shawnee) and KIM MEYER(Milbury/Lake) gave Bluffton an early 6-0 lead at the 18:04 mark. Another triple by Meyer at the 16:35 mark gave Bluffton a 9-0 advantage.
At the 16:19 mark Earlham got on the board with a BRIA SNEED jumper. Three minutes later a KATE FRANKS triple pulled the Quakers within three (12-9). RACHEL DAMAN(Defiance/Tinora) made a bucket at the 10:23 mark to push Bluffton back ahead by five.
With a couple of free throws by LAUREN HUTTON (New Riegel) at the 7:03 mark, Bluffton went ahead 22-15. With two seconds left in the opening period, ALICIA AMIS(Woodstock/Mechanicsburg) drained a trifecta to close the half with a 36-24 lead.
The Quakers started the second period with back-to-back triples from PRINCESS DARNELLand Franks before a Sneed layin cut the Earlham deficit to four (36-32) with 17:25 to play in the second half.
A layin from CHARVONNE LONG brought the Quakers within three, the closest they were since 8:06 in the first half. A 7-0 run by the Beavers, which included layins from KIM MILLER(Delphos/St. John's) and Hutton, gave Bluffton a 46-35 lead at the 13:48 mark.
A Sneed chip shot at the 10:11 mark pulled the Quakers within six, but an 8-0 spurt by Bluffton with a couple of freebies and a layin from KYLE BURKHOLDER (West Unity/Hilltop) gave the visitors a commanding 15-point cushion with less than seven minutes to play. The Beavers were too much to handle as they pulled away for a 75-58 victory to close out the 2010-11 season.
Bluffton hit 22-of-53 (41.5 percent) from the field, while the Quakers made just 15-of-47 (31.9 percent). Earlham committed 21 turnovers while the Beavers had 16 miscues. Both teams were even on the boards as they collected 36 caroms. The Beavers were an impressive 26-of-32 (81.3 percent) from the charity stripe, while the home team went 22-of-30 (73.3 percent).
The Beavers had three players in double digits. Rachel Daman led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-12 from the field while dishing out three assists. Hutton had 15 markers on 5-of-7 shooting and she collected eight rebounds. Miller added 14 counters on 4-of-8 from the floor with nine rebounds.
Bria Sneed paced the Quakers with 22 points on 6-of-14 from the field and 8-of-13 from the line. Charvonne Long added 11 markers and collected five rebounds.
Rose-Hulman's victory over Mount St. Joseph this afternoon sends the Engineers into the Heartland Conference tournament as the sixth seed. Bluffton ended its season in seventh place in the HCAC.
-BEAVERS-