RICHMOND, Ind. – The Earlham College women's basketball team allowed just 13 first-quarter points, but Bluffton scored 50 second-half points to defeat the Quakers 82-54 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action on Wednesday.

Bluffton (6-0, 2-0 HCAC) scored three of the game's first four baskets, but senior Kasin Spay responded with two straight buckets of her own to tie the game 6-6 midway through the first quarter. The Beavers again went ahead on a Taylor Knight basket, but Earlham had the answer once again as Hannah Franklin connected from 10 feet to tie the game yet again.

The Beavers would lead 13-10 after the first quarter and stretch its lead out to 30-16 with 3:58 to play in the first half. The Quakers got within eight points at the 1:51 mark with a 6-0 run. Two free throws from Taylor Whitaker gave the Beavers a 33-22 lead going into the locker room.

Earlham again got within eight points on two occasions in the second half, but could get no closer as the Beavers shot 57 percent from the field in the second half and escaped Schuckman Court with a victory for the second time in four years.

Spay led the Quakers in defeat with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists. The Muncie, Ind., native has now totaled 1,112 career points and sits seventh on the all-time scoring list. Franklin finished with 10 points and six assists while sophomore Mariah Flynn added nine points, three rebounds, and one steal.

Rachel Beining led all scorers with 23 points on 8-12 shooting from the field and 7-8 from the free throw line. Kaycee Rowe, Macey Sheerer, and Whitaker also finished in double figures.

For the game, Bluffton shot 47 percent from the filed while Earlham shot 35 percent. The Quakers shot a blistering 92 percent (13-14) from the tree throw line compared to 79 percent (19-24) for the Beavers.

Earlham remains at home for its next contest when the Franklin Grizzlies come to Schuckman Court for a 1 p.m. contest on Saturday.