DC Women Fall Short in Semifinal Matchup at Franklin

FRANKLIN, Ind. – A strong season came to a close for the Defiance College women's basketball team on Friday, as they watched the top-seeded Grizzlies rally in the final minute to take the 58-52 win. With a final record of 17-10, this year's squad posted the best record the program has seen since the 2003-04 season. 

Defiance held a slim lead for the majority of what was a defensively oriented opening period, in which both teams shot less than 30 percent from the floor. With a 13-12 lead and just over five and a half minutes left in the half, Courtney Schmersal hit a three-pointer to ignite an 8-0 run that resulted in the Jackets' biggest lead of the period (nine points) with just less than four minutes before the break.

However, a Sarah Condra three-pointer at the 3:14 mark began an extended 12-3 run in the Grizzlies favor to end the half, which cut DC's lead to three points going into the break.

After scoring the first two field goals of the second period to push the lead to seven, the Jackets hit an offensive lull, allowing Franklin to go on a 15-2 run, and claim a six-point lead just five minutes into the second period. Defiance would score the next six points to tie the game, 35-35, at the 13:21 mark, and the two teams proceeded to swap buckets over the next ten minutes, resulting in the ninth tie of the game with just four minutes left to play.

Freshman guard Hanna Firchau got fouled on a strong drive to the basket and hit two clutch free-throws to give the Yellow Jackets a two-point advantage with just over two minutes to play. However, the Grizzlies made some big defensive stop and finished the game on a dramatic seven-to-two run to seal the victory in front of their home crowd.

Mandie White led the team in the final game of her terrific career at DC, posting 11 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks on the night. The Ottawa, Ohio, native leaves the team after posting 1,127 points and 688 rebounds in her career. The 1,127 points rank White as the 13th leading scorer in the history of the women's basketball program.

DC's Shavonda Price was one of five players honored as an HCAC All-Tournament selection following the tournament, after averaging 12.5 points, nine rebounds, 1.5 blocks and three steals in two tournament contests. The sophomore guard finished the season ranked seventh in the HCAC in points, sixth in rebounds, third in blocks and first in steals.