Lady Jackets Drop Road Game to Pioneers

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Lady Jackets let a first-half lead slip through their fingers, dropping a 81-72 decision to Transylvania University (8-5, 3-2 HCAC) on Wednesday night, in a game that saw nine ties and 20 lead changes. DC falls to 2-3 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference competition with the loss.

After a series of turnovers by both teams to start the game, the players settled down and traded buckets, resulting in a 25-25 tie with 6:40 left in the first half. A Courtney Schmersal three-pointer broke the tie and the Jackets went on to build up a nine-point lead, 37-28, with three minutes remaining in the half. However, the Pioneers went on a 12-3 run over the final three minutes and the two squads went into halftime tied with 40 points apiece.

The teams continued to battle neck and neck during the second half and the Jackets found themselves up by one with 5:37 left in the game, but that was the last lead they would see. The Pioneers repeatedly found easy bucket in the paint, and outscored Defiance by ten points over the final five minutes of the game, to run away with the victory.

The Jackets shot just 28 percent from the field in the second half after making 47 percent of their shots in the first half. DC outscored Transylvania by 12 points from behind the arc, but could not overcome an 18-point deficit on points in the paint. Transylvania guards Olivia Akridge and Brittany Henderlight each recorded 23 points for the Pioneers.

DC center Mandie White scored 22 points for the Jackets and led the game with 14 rebounds. Shavonda Price posted career highs in assists (6) and blocks (4) to go along with her eight points and eight rebounds. Molly Bateman had an efficient game, scoring 12 points on five-of-nine shooting, including two-of-two from long range.

The Lady Jackets will return to action on Saturday, January 9, when they host the College of Mount St. Joseph (6-7, 2-2 HCAC) at 3:00 p.m. in the Karl H. Weaner Center.