Defiance Women's Basketball Defeated by Transylvania

LEXINGTON, KY.  --  The Defiance College women's basketball team was defeated by Transylvania (Ky.) University, 84-63, in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game in Lexington, Ky.

Defiance shot 39.4 percent (26-of-66) from the floor and was led in socring by junior Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) with 18 points on 58.3 percent shooting (seven-of-12).  She was also one of three players to record a game-tying high seven rebounds.  Sophomore Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) was second in scoring with 13 points and junior Ashley Williams (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) added 11 points.

Transylvania (8-5, 4-2 HCAC) led throughout the game and began the contest with five straight points to jump out to the early lead.  Leading by six points with just under four-and-a-half minutes to go in the first quarter, the Pioneers went on a 13-2 scoring run to lead by 17 points en route to a 19-point advantage, 28-9, with 2:14 to go in the frame.  The two teams traded baskets to end the period as Transy led, 30-13 after the first 15 minutes of play.

The second period began with a triple by the Pioneers to reach the 20-point plateau for the first time in the game.  A tip-in by Tietje on DC's ensuing possession, sparked a 7-0 run that ended in another basket by Tietje to pull the Jackets to within 13 points, 33-20, with just under seven minutes remaining in the half.  Transy responded with a 12-0 run of their own to re-establish control with a commanding 25-point margin, 45-20, at the 4:23 mark.  The Pioneers maintained their sizeable advantage the rest of the way and boasted a 22-point edge at the break with a halftime score of 49-27.

In the third quarter, DC would get to within 19 points, 55-36, following a three-pointer by Williams and would later equal that mark with 1:50 to go in the period on a pair of free-throws by Tietje making the score 61-42.  But that would be as close as the Jackets would get in the quarter as a 7-0 run by Transy to end the period, increased the lead to 26 points, 68-42, heading into the fourth.

Transy posted is largest lead of the game of 33 points on several occasions in the fourth quarter with the last one coming at the 3:36 mark with a score of 84-51.  White then connected on a triple that led to a 12-0 Yellow Jacket run in which White added another three-pointer and a pair of baskets for 10 of the 12 points during the run.  The offensive fleury ended the scoring in the game, but it was Transy who'd come away with the 84-63 victory.

The Pioneers had four players score in double figures led by Katelyn Smith with a game-high 21 points.  Kristen Hayes was second with 18 points and Rachel Cox had 12 points.  Rounding out the high scorers was Shawn Kolani with 11 points.

Defiance will travel to Richmond, Ind. for a HCAC game against Earlham (Ind.) College on Wednesday, Jan. 13.  The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.