Yellow Jackets Can't Overcome Tough Second Half

DEFIANCE, OHIO – Tough shooting in the second half proved to be too much for Defiance College to overcome as they drop to rival Bluffton University, 79-54.

Defiance (6-12, 5-6 HCAC) took a lead into intermission, but could not hold off a strong second half from the visiting Beavers (13-5, 8-3 HCAC).

Sophomore forward Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) and senior guard/forward Megan Zachrich (Napoleon) made a bucket each to give Defiance the early 4-2 lead.  The visiting team then went on a 10-0 scoring run to take an eight-point lead.  Tietje made a pair of free-throws to stop the Bluffton run.  After a three-point play from the Beavers, sophomore guard Erica Smay (Defiance/Tinora) would single-handedly get DC back into the game.  She started things off with a made jump shot in the paint and then came up with a steal which led to another jumper in the paint.  The very next possession she came up with another steal, this time converting on a three-point shot from the corner causing Bluffton to take a timeout.  Smay's run put DC back into the game, trailing by just two points with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.  Smay wasn't done yet as she made another shot from beyond the arc a minute later, giving the Yellow Jackets a 16-15 lead.  Tietje jumped back into the scoring column with two more free-throws.  Freshman guard/forward Brittany Osborne (Union City, Ind./Union City) and sophomore forward Keri Conine (Ottawa/Pandora-Gilboa) continued the DC run with a layup each to give the home team a 22-15 lead with 5:28 left to play in the first half.  After a short Bluffton run, freshman guard Whitney Schalk (Bellevue) knocked in a pair of free-throws and a jumper to extend DC's lead back to six points.  Tietje did the remaining scoring for the Yellow Jackets, making a free-throw and a jumper in the paint to end the half as DC held a 29-28 lead at intermission.

Smay led all scorers in the game in the first half with 10 points.  Tietje added nine points and 10 rebounds in the first 20 minutes.

After a Bluffton jumper to start the second half, Tietje retook the lead with a jump shot in the paint.  It would be the last time DC led in the game with a 31-30 lead at the 17:57 mark.  Bluffton put together an eight-point run before sophomore guard Ashley Williams (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) found Osborne for a jumper at the 14:35 mark.  Tietje accounted for the next six Defiance points by way of two jumpers in the paint and two free-throws.  Freshman guard Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) hit a shot from downtown to cut Bluffton's lead to 56-42 with 9:35 to go in the game.  Tietje put together another small five-point run of her own, followed by a Williams three-pointer, but DC still trailed 69-50 with 3:16 to play.  A free-throw each from Zachrich and sophomore guard Sharai Allen (Detroit, Mich./Eastern Michigan University) along with a fast break jumper from Osborne was all the scoring DC had left, as they fell by 25 points with the final score of 79-54.

Tietje led the way for the Yellow Jackets with her eighth consecutive double-double, ending the game with 22 points and 15 rebounds.  Smay was the lone other Yellow Jacket to get into double figures with 10 points.  Williams had a strong game for DC, ending with six rebounds and five assists.

The Yellow Jackets will play again at home this weekend.  They welcome in Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology for a HCAC matchup on Saturday (Jan. 31) with a start time of 1 pm.  The men's game will follow.