Hot Shooting Propels DC Past Manchester

MANCHESTER, IND. - The Defiance College women's basketball team traveled to Manchester this evening for a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference match up with the Spartans where the Purple and Gold deemed clutch from behind the arc in route to a 71-57 victory.

Defiance (2-7 overall, 2-2 HCAC) was led on the day by freshman Taylor Day (West Mansfield/North Union) with her first career double-double, netting a game-high 15 points with 17 rebounds. Day finished the game shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. As a team, the Yellow Jackets shot 32.3 percent from behind the arc, connecting for 10 three-pointers.

The Yellow Jackets wasted little time establishing the deep threat early as junior Danielle Carruthers (New London) connected for a three-pointer followed by a long ball from junior Sidney Faine (Bluffton/Ada) that knotted the contest at 12-12 with just under three minutes to play in the opening period. They would take the lead in the final seconds of the opening period as Faine deemed clutch once more from behind the arc to put DC on top.

The two teams exchanged points for much of the second period before a three-pointer by junior Liz Martin (Bellefontaine) gave the Yellow Jackets the slight 22-19 advantage midway though the quarter. Defiance claimed its largest lead of the period as freshman Taylor Day (West Mansfield/North Union) hit a runner in the lane that pushed the lead to five, 26-21. However, the Spartans responded taking the lead with 2:31 to play before the Yellow Jacket hot shooting continued as the return of senior Ashley Lee (Millington, Mich.) deemed clutch connecting for her first three-pointer of the contest to give Defiance the 31-28 halftime lead.

The Purple and Gold looked to pull away in the second half as they used a 6-0 run capped off by a pair of free throws by senior Luaren Rogers (Munger, Mich./Bay City Central) with 7:05 to play to take the 37-30 advantage. Manchester continued to hang around slowly chipping at the DC lead before a free throw by sophomore Kalyn Pickens (Fort Wayne, Ind./R. Nelson Snider) put Defiance on top 44-40 with one period remaining.

In the final period of action, the Yellow Jackets captured their largest lead of to date following a pair of free throws by senior Sam Ervin (Bloomdale/Elmwood) to put DC on top 55-42 with just over seven minutes remaining. Defiance remained poised late in the period getting it done at the free throw line to hold on for the conference victory. 

The Yellow Jackets return to action on Wednesday, December 19 as they place host to nationally ranked Trine. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.