Strong First Half Lifts Yellow Jackets Past Manchester in HCAC Action

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College women's basketball team used a strong first half out scoring Manchester 29-16 in the second quarter en route to the early Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference win, 79-64.

Defiance (2-4 overall, 1-1 HCAC) was led in the contest by juniors Lauren Rogers (Munger, Mich./Bay City Central) and Sam Ervin (Bloomdale/Elmwood) with a game-high 16 points. As a team, the Yellow Jackets grabbed 42 rebounds and finished the game 27-of-64 (42.2%) from the field.

Ervin made her presence known early in the first quarter as she registered the Yellow Jackets first four points to put DC on top, 4-2. The Defiance attack continued to pressure the Spartan defense as a three-pointer by sophomore Shelby Stamm (Bellevue) sparked a Purple and Gold 7-0 run to extend their lead with 5:45 remaining in the opening period, 11-7.

The Manchester offense finally found its groove late in the first quarter as a deep ball with 1:45 remaining knotted the score at 18-18. However, Defiance would close out the period on a 5-0 run led by senior Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) to claim the 23-18 first quarter advantage.

The scoring spurt went on for much of the second quarter as a deep ball from White and a layup by Rogers gave DC the 30-23 lead. The Purple and Gold continued its hot shooting as another dagger from White capped off a Defiance run pushing the score to 35-28 with five to play. Senior Whitney Schalk (Bellevue) would put an exclamation point on the first half for the Yellow Jackets as she connected from way down town to give Defiance the 52-34 halftime lead.

DC concluded the first half shooting 19-of-33 (57.6%) from the field, including seven three-pointers. Ervin led the way for DC recording 12 first half points going 5-for-9 (55.5%) from the field.

The Purple and Gold came out flat as Manchester dominated much of the third quarter. The Spartans used a turnover and score followed by a three-pointer to pull within 56-44 with 3:15 to play. They continued to chip at the DC lead as a layup cut the deficit to 58-50 as time expired.

Rogers would lead the spark Defiance needed in the fourth quarter as she made a jumper in the paint with 6:56 remaining to halt the charging Spartans, 64-56. Stamm also provided clutch for the Purple and Gold as she delivered a momentum shifting three with 5:01 remaining, 67-56. Manchester attempted to hang around as back-to-back layups cut the DC advantage 69-60 with 3:23 to play.  However, the Purple and Gold deemed to much as they turned up the intensity to capture the 79-64 early conference win.

The Yellow Jackets return to action Saturday, December 9 as they host Franklin. Tipp-off is set for 2:00 p.m.