Yellow Jackets Outlast the Ravens

DEFIANCE, OHIO – The Defiance College women's basketball team hosted Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Anderson (Ind.) University and defeated the Ravens 64-59.

Junior Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high 17 points (seven-of-13 shooting). Junior Erica Smay (Defiance/Tinora) was the only other Yellow Jacket to score in double-digits with 15 points (five-of-six shooting).

Defiance (3-9, 2-3 HCAC) began the game with a 5-0 run against the Ravens (3-9, 2-3 HCAC) that included a jumper from freshman Sam Ervin (Bloomdale/Elmwood) and a triple from Smay. The Yellow Jackets led by as many as eight points on three different occasions, the last one coming from a three from sophomore Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) at the 1:03 minute mark, 16-8. The Ravens slipped in five quick points of their own before the buzzer to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to three points, 16-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The Ravens started the second quarter by tying the score 16-16, at the 8:41 minute mark. Back-and-forth baskets from each team ended with Ravens taking the first lead of the game at the 4:07 minute mark, 25-24. A jumper from junior Keri Conine (Ottawa/Pandora-Gilboa) on the next possession gave Defiance the lead once again, 26-25 with 3:54 left to play. Defiance scored three more points before the end of the half to lead 29-25 going into halftime.

The Yellow Jackets took control of the third quarter quickly with the first points coming from Tietje just 55 seconds into the quarter, 31-25. Defiance boosted the margin to 10 points with one minute to play, when Ervin scored from a helper from White, 44-34. The Ravens scored twice before time ran out, to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to six points, 44-38, at the end of the third.

In the fourth, the Yellow Jackets tried to hang on to their lead, but Anderson tied the game 48-48 with 7:39 to play. Another basket from Conine quickly put Defiance back ahead, 50-48 at the 7:23 minute mark. Anderson got within one point 60-59 with one minute left to play before a series of free-throws from Tietje, Smay and junior Ashley Williams (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) ran the clock out and sealed the victory in favor of the Yellow Jackets, 64-59.

The Yellow Jackets will look to continue their winning ways when they travel to Lexington, Ky. to play Transylvania (Ky.) University in HCAC play on Saturday, Jan. 9. The game will be a part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket men's team. The women's game will begin at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3 p.m.