By: Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant
ANDERSON, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team rode a 17-0 first half run to a convincing 68-43 conference win over the Anderson University Ravens on Saturday, Jan. 24. The win pushed the Beavers to 7-3 in HCAC play (12-5 overall) and helps them keep pace in the hotly contested battle for second place in the conference. The loss puts Anderson at 1-16 overall and 0-10 in conference play.
After the Ravens opened with a 6-4 advantage, they went ice cold, not scoring a point for over 12 minutes of game action while the Beavers scored 17 straight markers. The run included seven tallies from junior guard Abby Jerger (Middletown/Madison) which topped her career-high of four points in a game in that spurt alone. Anderson finally put points on the board again late in the half as Bluffton carried a 30-16 lead into the break.
The second stanza began with a triple from Taylor Whitaker (Mansfield/Lexington) and a freebie byRachel Beining (Ottoville), who both were forced to sit much of the first half with foul trouble. Anderson trimmed the deficit to 12 on two separate occasions early in the stanza, but Bluffton would always have an answer, including a 6-0 run that was capped by a triple from Whitaker to get the lead over 20 points, and another three from Kaitlyn Pennekamp (Hamilton/Ross), topping off a 7-0 run that pushed Bluffton's lead to 26.
The visitors were able to force 25 turnovers in the contest in contrast to just 15 of their own. Bluffton was also able to win the rebound battle, 41-40. The Beavers shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the floor and a sparkling 50 percent (7-of-14) from beyond the arc following an 0-of-11 performance in Wednesday's win over Manchester. The Ravens shot just 14-of-51 (27.5 percent) from the floor in the loss.
The Beavers were led by Taylor Whitaker with her 14 points, 10 in the second stanza. She was efficient, hitting 5-of-8 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from deep. Abby Jerger finished with a career-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, along with five boards. Freshman Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus) added 10 points and six rebounds. Jessica Boggan (Cincinnati/Princeton) also added a career-high eight boards in extended minutes for the Beavers. Anderson was led by Courtney Skinner with 17 counters and Megan Williams with 10 points and eight boards in the loss.
The Beavers hit the road again on Wednesday, Jan. 28, as they make the return trip to Defiance to play the arch-rival Yellow Jackets in a 6 p.m. tip. Bluffton then returns to the Sommer Center on Saturday, Jan. 31, for a big showdown between two teams fighting for the #2 spot in the HCAC. Game time is set for 1 p.m. with Hanover. Come support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-