RICHMOND, Ind. – Freshman Megan Zachrich scored a career-best 19 points and added five rebounds to lead the Defiance College women's basketball team to an 81-73 victory over Earlham. Sophomore Erica King and Hannah Harshman also reached double digits in the win.
The Yellow Jackets came out of the gates with an 8-2 run over the first three minutes and 23 seconds of the game. Zachrich started the scoring with an early layup and added a deep two-pointer. Junior Kim Comden and sophomore Kim Bingley added layups during the run.
Earlham quickly tied up the game, 8-8, at 15:08 on the clock with a quick 6-0 run. Defiance answered the Quaker surge and steadily built a 28-17 lead after a three-pointer by sophomore Maggie Neanen. Not to be outdone on their home court, Earlham charged back with a 17-4 run over the last seven minutes of the half to take a 34-30 halftime advantage.
The Quakers pushed their lead to ten points, 40-30, with two quick buckets to start the second frame, but Defiance was set to catch fire on offense. A 14-0 run by the Purple and Gold reclaimed the lead, 44-40, with 13:08 on the clock. Zachrich and Comden each had four points during the run, while King added a deep three-pointer. Defiance led by as many as 11 points, 56-45, with five minutes left in the game before a later run by Earlham sent the game into overtime with the scoreboard reading, 68-68.
The overtime period was all DC, as the Jackets shot 50% from the floor and a perfect six-for-six from the foul line in the last frame. The Jacket defense held Earlham to 2-of-9 shooting from the floor during OT.
In overtime, King started the scoring with a triple to give DC a lead it would never relinquish. A pair of free throws by Harshman with 2:12 left in the game lifted Defiance to a comfortable eight-point advantage. King and Comden nailed four straight free throws in the final moments to seal the win.
Zachrich shot 8-of-13 from the floor and two-of-three from the line for her 19 points. King was once again a huge boost off the bench as she scored 16 points and dished out six assists. Harshman shot a near perfect five-of-six from the field and the same mark from the charity stripe to pour in 15 points. She also added seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Earlham, which falls to 3-13 overall and 1-8 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, was led by Nikki Darrett's 27 points.
With the victory, Defiance improves to 7-9 overall and 5-4 in the HCAC. The Yellow Jackets currently sit in a tie for fourth place in the league.
DC will return to action on Saturday, January 21 against HCAC opponent Hanover. Game time is set for 1:00 pm in the Karl H. Weaner Center and can be viewed live on the Yellow Jackets Sports Network at www.defianceathletics.com/video/.