DC Falls to Waynesburg at PSU-Behrend Tourney

ERIE, PA. -- The Defiance women's basketball team fell in a high-scoring affair to the Waynesburg (Pa.) University Yellow Jackets, 87-79, in the finale of the Penn State-Behrend Tip-Off Tournament in Erie, Pa. 

Defiance (1-1) was led by senior Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) who garnered her second double-double in as many days, scoring 29 points and adding 13 rebounds. Tietje was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament with her 51 points and 28 rebounds in two contests.

Senior guard Ashley Williams (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) was also named to the All-Tournament team as she scored in double figures for the second straight day, putting up 15 points on five-of-nine shooting and getting six boards on Saturday. Junior Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) added a career-high 22 points on eight-of-14 shooting, including making six triples, in the loss.

From the field, Defiance shot 39.4 percent (28-of-71) overall and 40.7 percent (11-of-27) from deep, while Waynesburg shot 46.4 percent (32-of-69) and five-of-18 (27.8 percent), respectively. DC won the battle of the boards, 47-40, but committed six more turnovers (15-9) than Waynesburg.

Waynesburg and Defiance battled back-and-forth through the opening seven minutes of the first quarter. Defiance trailed 10-7 before White hit a triple to tie the game at 10-10 with three minutes to play in the quarter. Those final minutes of the quarter finished with a 10-4 Waynesburg run as they took a 20-14 lead after the first 10 minutes.

Waynesburg continued the hot streak with a triple to open the second period to increase the lead to nine points. Their lead would be eight points, 30-22, at the 4:24 mark when Williams connected on three long balls in a three minute span to get Defiance to within a point at 32-31. Waynesburg hit a free-throw before White ended the half with a three of her own to give DC a 34-33 halftime edge.

Defiance and Waynesburg traded buckets to begin the third frame until four quick pionts put Waynesburg ahead, 41-40, with 5:20 to play. Tietje then scored on a layup to put DC back ahead, but the lead was short lived as Waynesburg extended the lead to five points at 50-45 late in the third. After a bucket from White, Waynesburg added four more points to lead by seven, before three points from sophomore Sam Ervin (Bloomdale/Elmwood) finished the third quarter with DC trailing by four points.

After a Waynesburg layup to start the scoring in the fourth quarter, Williams threw in another triple, her fourth of the game, to get Defiance to within three points. That is the closest as DC would get, though, as Waynesburg scored nine of the next 11 points to take a 65-55 margin. A late triple by White put the Jackets to within six points, but it was too little too late, as Waynesburg went on to an 87-79 victory.

Defiance will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 22 as they head to Ada, Ohio to take on nationally-ranked Ohio Northern University. The game is part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket men's team.  The women will tip-off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men against the Polar Bears at 7:30 p.m.