FRANKLIN, Ind. - It came down to the second half once again for the Trine University women's basketball team as they fell to 15th ranked Franklin College 51-43. After starting the season with six straight wins, the Thunder have now dropped three straight games.
After the two sides traded baskets to open the game, defense played a key role over the course of four minutes as neither team was able to score. The Thunder were able to break the 4-4 tie as junior Haley Killingbeck (Poneto, Ind./Southern Wells) connected from down town. The Grizzlies answered right back on the following possession and they pulled within one. Killingbeck connected on a layup to put the Thunder back up by three. Later in the half with the game tied, Trine scored seven unanswered points to take a 17-12 lead. The Grizzlies closed the final five minutes of the half on an 8-2 run to tie the score at the break at 23 all.
The Thunder opened the second half scoring the first two points, but from there Franklin broke free scoring seven unanswered points to take a 30-25 lead. The Grizzlies would go on another run to extend their lead to eight points at 37-29. The Thunder tried to claw their way back into the game as they pulled within three with just four minutes to go. That would be as close as they would get as the Grizzlies scored eight unanswered points due to several Trine fouls including a technical.
Trine was led by senior Danielle Senf (Blanchardville, Wis./Pecatonica) who hit 10-of-12 from the charity stripe to finish with 12 points. Killingbeck was just behind adding in 11 points to go along with eight rebounds and a game-high three blocks. Junior Megan Loveberry (Quincy, Mich./Quincy) contributed with seven points while fellow junior Sydney Spragg (Reading, Mich./Reading) added in six points to go along with a game-high three steals.
Trine held the undefeated Grizzlies to a season-low 51 points on a season-low 25 percent from the floor. For Trine, it was the fewest points they have allowed in a loss this season. The Thunder managed to hold Sarah Condra, the nation's 11th leading scorer, to just four points in the opening half. For the game, the Thunder held Condra to just four points from the floor on 2-of-12 shooting but hit 14-of-17 from the free throw line to finish with 18 points.
Trine made more shots from the floor, 14-to-13, and hit a higher percentage of their shots, 31.8-to-25. The difference in the game came at the free throw line as the Grizzlies made 25 compared to just 13 for Trine.
Trine will return to action in their final home game of the 2011 year as they host the College of Wooster on December 20 for a 3:00 p.m. match-up.