Slow Start Haunts Yellow Jackets

DEFIANCE, OHIO – Defiance College couldn't find the offense early, as Mount Union took the non-conference matchup 80-58.

DC shot just 22.6 percent in the first half and couldn't overcome the deficit in the second half, as the Purple Raiders win the first ever matchup between the two schools.

Megan Zachrich (Napoleon/Napoleon) scored the first points for DC in the game on a layup to stop a six-point Mount Union run.  Another six-point run was stopped by Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) to make the game 12-4 at the 15:21 mark.  Mount went on to stretch the lead out to 22 before DC put on a little run of its own.  It started with a Tietje made shot in the lane.  Erica Smay (Defiance/Tinora) followed up Tietje with a three-pointer.  Ashley Williams (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) and Tietje both added a jumper to compete the run.  The score stood at 34-19 at the 3:24 mark.  Mount was able to widen the gap back out to 25 before half and led 44-19 at the break.

Tietje led the Yellow Jackets in scoring in the first half with eight points.  Zachrich and Smay added five and four points, respectively.

The second half was the stronger half for the home squad in the game.  After a Mount three to begin the half, Zachrich answered with a three the old fashion way and Tietje followed that up with a shot in the lane.  A couple of possessions later, Williams hit a three from the wing to cap off the run.  Mount again pushed the lead out to 28 when DC put together another strong run.  Tietje started it with a jumper in the lane, followed by a Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) jumper on a fast break.  Tietje scored on the next three trips down the court.  First on a shot in the paint, then an "and one" which she converted, and finally another shot in the lane to cut the lead to 20 points.  DC trailed 58-38 with 10 minutes remaining when White got the deficit under 20 with a three-point basket with 8:41 to go to make it 60-41.  But that would be as close as DC got, as the two teams played out the rest of the time pretty evenly matched.  The final score was 80-58 in favor of Mount.

Tietje led the way with 24 points.  She added 11 boards to pick up her seventh double-double on the year.  It was also her fourth straight game with a double-double. Zachrich added 15 points and has now scored in double figures for the Yellow Jackets in four straight games. White added seven points to DC's total on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting night.

The Yellow Jackets will not play again until after the holiday.  They will be on the road at Trine (Ind.) University on December 28.  Tip-off time is set for 3 pm.