Bison Women's Basketball Drops Road Bout to Thiel

Jan. 30 – GREENVILLE, Pa. – Despite seeing four players score in double figures, the Bethany College women's basketball team dropped a 80-69 decision to Thiel College on Saturday. The loss dropped the Bison to 8-11 overall and 6-6 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play.

The host Tomcats opened the game shooting well from the perimeter as Thiel scored 15 of their 19 first-quarter points from beyond the arc. The Tomcats opened the lead to as many as five in the first frame, converting on 5-of-9 from deep. At the end of the frame, the Bison found themselves down 19-14.

Bethany responded well in the second quarter, opening the second frame on an 11-0 run to take a 25-19 lead with 7:56 remaining in the half. Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier) posted four points in the run, while Maclaine Maurad (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) added a three-point basket to the attack.

Up 27-21, the hosts would respond with a 7-0 run of their own, retaking a one-point lead (28-27) with 4:46 to play.

The Green & White would once again respond, using a quick, 5-0 run to retake the advantage. After a free-throw from Daugherty, Taylor Large (Hopwood, Pa./Laurel Highlands) would convert on a pair of fast-break buckets, giving Bethany a 32-28 lead with 3:56 remaining.

The two teams would trade buckets over the remaining three minutes of the first act, with the Green & White clinging to a 36-35 advantage at the break.

In the opening stanza, the Bison were paced by Daugherty's game-high 15 points. She finished the half shooting 6-of-9 from the field, while also adding six rebounds.

Just as in the first quarter, the Tomcats opened the second half shooting well from the outside. The Bison were outscored 14-5 over the first five minutes of the third quarter, falling behind 50-41 with 5:19 to play. Thiel knocked down three-straight from deep, including a pair from Jess Vormelker.

The host's lead would run out to as many as 11 (58-47) in the third quarter, before the Green & White would respond with an 10-2 run. Freshman Ashley Duthie (Madison, Ohio/Madison) knocked down back-to-back triples to cut the lead to five. After a basket by the Tomcats, Bethany converted on consecutive layups by Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) and Mikyla Tipton (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) to pull within three, 60-57.

The Green & White would get no closer in the game, as the Bison were outscored 17-11 in the fourth quarter, falling by a final of 80-69.

Bethany struggled from the offensive end in the second stanza, shooting 27 percent from the field in the closing half.

Overall, the Bison saw four players finish in double figures, including a team-high 19 points from Daugherty. Duthie finished with 11, while Holenka and Large tallied 10, each. The ten points marked a career high for Large. Tipton added eight points on the day, but led the team with 10 rebounds.

The Bison will be back in action on Wednesday, February 3, when they travel to Crestview Hills, Ky. to take on the Saints of Thomas More College. The game is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. tip.