Women's Basketball Defeated by Hanover (Ind.)

HANOVER, IND.  --  Sophomore forward Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) recorded her 14th double-double of the season, but it would not be enough as the Defiance College women's basketball team dropped a 102-70 decision against Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponent Hanover (Ind.) College at Collier Arena in Hanover, Ind.

Tietje was one of three Yellow Jackets in double figures with 17 points on seven-of-11 shooting (63.6 percent) to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds.  Sophomore guard Erica Smay (Defiance/Tinora) was second with 12 points and senior guard/forward Megan Zachrich (Napoleon) added 11 points.

The Defiance (6-11, 5-5 HCAC) offense got off to a slow start as the Jackets didn't record their first point until 2:07 into the game on one-of-two free-throws by Zachrich.  The slow start allowed Hanover (11-6, 7-3 HCAC) to outscore Defiance, 23-5, in the first 6:24.  DC also turned the ball over 18 times in the opening half which led to 28 Hanover points.  Despite trailing by as many as 24 points in the period, Defiance battled back by outscoring the Panthers, 17-4, to cut the deficit to 11 points, 40-29, following a three-pointer by Smay.  The Jackets later narrowed the gap to 10 points, 44-34, with just under three minutes to go before halftime, but an ensuing 10-0 scoring run by Hanover increased the Panther lead back to a commanding 20 points, 54-34, with 1:15 remaining before halftime.  The Jackets tallied the final points of the period on a layup by freshman guard Whitney Schalk (Bellevue), but DC still trailed by 18 points, 54-36, at the intermission.

The second half began with a triple by Zachrich, but another run by Hanover, this time a 9-0 run, put the game away for the Panthers who bolstered a 24-point edge for the second time, 63-39, with 16:15 to go in the game.  Hanover went on to lead by as many as 34 points, 87-53, and cruised to the 102-70 final.

Hanover shot 47.8 percent (32-of-67) for the game, including getting to the free-throw line 38 times shooting 31-of-38 overall (81.6 percent) at the charity stripe.  The Panthers were led in scoring by Megan Caudill with a game-high 19 points.  Kelsey Block was second with 16 points and was followed by the duo of Jessie Davidson and Allison Nash with 14 points each.  Rounding out the high scorers was Ashley Malloy with 10 points.

Defiance will host rival Bluffton University on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Karl H. Weaner Center.  The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket men's team.  The women will tip-off against the Beavers at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m.