Second Half Struggles Sink Yellow Jackets

ADRIAN, Mich. - The Defiance College women's basketball team found themselves in a tough non-conference battle Monday evening as they fell to Siena Heights, 84-55.

Defiance (2-7 overall) was led in the contest by junior Lauren Rogers (Munger, Mich./Bay City Central) with a team-high 14 points and five rebounds. Junior Sam Ervin (Bloomdale/Elmwood) added 10 points and six rebounds for the Yellow Jackets.

As a team, the Purple and Gold shot 31-for-71 (43.7%) from the floor, including 8-for-19 (42.1%) from three-pointer.

The Yellow Jackets surged ahead early in the first quarter led by Rogers with seven straight points. Siena Heights would finally respond at the 7:18 minute mark before Rogers connected for her second three-pointer of the contest extending the DC lead, 10-2. The Saints offense found its groove late in the opening period stringing together a small run cutting the deficit to 10-7. Senior Whitney Schalk (Bellevue) wasted little time making her way into the scoring column as she sparked a 5-0 run to lead to a Purple and Gold first quarter advantage, 19-18.

The Saints turned up the intensity in the second period claiming their first lead of the contest at the 9:35 mark, 20-19. However, Defiance responded as Ervin completed the scoop and score followed by a deep ball from Schalk. The two teams continued to exchange points for several minutes when the Siena Height offense erupted outscoring DC in the final two minutes to claim the 46-37 halftime lead.

The Purple and Gold got off to a slow start to open the second half as the Saints defense was able to hold DC scoreless for nearly four minutes before Ervin connected in the paint with 5:03 to play, 43-60. Sophomore Sidney Faine (Bluffton/Ada) looked to spark the Yellow Jackets late in the third quarter as she connected from behind the arc cutting the deficit to 62-46 with 2:51 remaining. However, the Saints continued to click closing out the third period with a layup in the lane en route to the 68-49 advantage.

The Saints deemed to much in the fourth quarter as they used an 8-0 run early in the period to push the lead to 79-51 with 5:25 to play. DC looked to get something going in the final minutes but the shooting woes continued for the Purple and Gold as Siena Heights routed the Jackets 84-55.

Defiance returns to action Tuesday, December 19 as they play host to Alma, Mich. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m. at the Karl H. Weaner Center.