December 10, 2011
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team rallied to take a 45-42 lead with 8:21 to play before Rose-Hulman went on a 19-4 run for a 61-49 victory over the Beavers on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011. Bluffton slipped to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the Heartland Conference, while Rose (1-5, 1-2 HCAC) picked up its first win of the season.
With RHIT on top 7-4, senior RACHEL DAMAN (Defiance/Tinora) dropped in back-to-back threes for a 10-9 Bluffton lead with 14:43 to play in the opening period. A BRENNA KURILEC(Mt. Gilead/Gilead Christian) fastbreak jumper followed by KYLEE BURKHOLDER'S (West Unity/Hilltop) deuce put Bluffton up 16-13 at the 9:33 mark.
Following a pair of SHARONDA MARTIN (Dayton/Stivers) freebies and a LAUREN HUTTON(New Riegel) bucket, the Engineers closed the first half on an 11-4 spurt for a 30-24 lead at the break. Freshman RACHEL DEBORD (Lebanon) and MIKAYLA COBURN (McGuffey/Upper Scioto Valley) accounted for Bluffton's only hoops over the final five minutes of the period.
Senior BRITTANY STEGMAIER (Garfield/Trinity) pulled Bluffton within three (32-29), but seven straight counters by the home team made the score 39-29 with 15:09 to play. Bluffton responded with 12 straight points, capped by consecutive Coburn trifectas, as the Beavers took a 41-39 lead at the 9:58 mark. Senior BRITTANY LEWIS (Springfield/Shawnee) converted a pair of driving layups for a 45-42 lead two minutes later.
Just as quickly as Bluffton made a game of it, Rose ended it with 13 unanswered points for a 55-45 advantage and under four minutes on the clock. Burkholder and DeBord added free throws for Bluffton, but RHIT closed it out for a 61-49 victory over the Beavers.
Lauren Hutton led the Beavers with 11 points and she also pulled down six rebounds. Coburn and Burkholder added eight and seven points apiece. Daman and DeBord both ripped down seven boards, while Lewis dished out a game-high seven assists.
The Beavers hit 17-of-45 from the field (37.8 percent), compared to 19-of-49 (38.8 percent) for the home team. Both teams connected on four triples, but Rose finished with a marked advantage at the line. The Engineers were 19-for-33 (57.6 percent), while Bluffton went 11-of-22 (50 percent). Rose finished with two more rebounds (36-34) and the Beavers turned it over five more times (16-11).
Bluffton will resume action next Saturday, Dec. 17, when the Beavers travel to Lexington, Ky. for a matchup with the Pioneers. The contest at Transylvania is slated for 2 p.m.
-BEAVERS-