No. 2 Transylvania topples DC women on Saturday

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Defiance College was defeated by Transylvania, the No. 2  team in the country, on Saturday by a 76-33 final.

The Pioneers (21-0, 14-0 HCAC) held the Yellow Jackets (7-14, 4-11 HCAC) scoreless for the first seven minutes of the game while building a 24-0 lead. Taylor Day nearly put the Jackets on the board midway through the opening 10 minutes but her baseline jumper was nullified due to a shot clock violation. Ultimately it was a Taylor Steinbrunner free throw that ended the drought before Lexie Sparks hit three shots to close the quarter for Defiance.

Transy exploded for 33 points in the opening quarter and never looked back. Nine of the Pioneers' 12 made buckets in the first were from outside the arc. While Defiance shot 3-for-11 to start the game, Transylvania went 12-for-16, outrebounded DC 9 to 4 and forced the Jackets into six first-quarter turnovers. Seven different players connected on those nine 3-pointers during the opening 10 minutes.

Lexie Sparks was Defiance's lone player in double figures with a team-high 15. After she hit a trio of jumpers at the end of the first, Sparks hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter followed by two more makes inside of three minutes left before half. She added a pair of free throws halfway through the third to break a long drought for the Jackets to start the second half.

For the Pioneers, they had 11 different scorers led by Madison Kellione's 17 markers. Dasia Thornton added a dozen more and pulled in eight rebounds. Kennedi Stacy and Sierra Kemelgor also added 10 points apiece. 

Defiance hits the floor again on Monday with a trip to Albion. Tipoff against the Britons is set for 7:30 p.m. at Kresge Gymnasium.

-JACKETS-