December 2

Lady Jackets fall in home opener
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

Defiance vs. Anderson Box Score

DEFIANCE, Ohio – A late rally by Anderson University spoiled the Defiance College Lady Jacket basketball home opener as the Ravens were able to win the game 52-50.

The beginning of the first half saw a struggle to put points on the board, as neither team scored until Mandy White dropped in a layup three minutes into the game. DC would then rally off the next five points to take a 7-0 advantage. The Lady Jackets held the lead throughout the rest of the first half, eventually stretching the lead out to 14 before taking a 25-13 lead into the second half.
Kayla Mengerink led DC with 10 points
The Ravens came out stronger on the offensive end in the second half, as Anderson cut the lead to five six minutes into the period. A 9-2 Jacket run over the next three minutes would erase the progress made by Anderson and make it a 39-25 game. Over the next four minutes the two teams traded baskets and Defiance was able to maintain a comfortable lead. However, with less than eight minutes to play, the Ravens slowly began to chip away at the DC lead, and by the 3:30 mark, Anderson had pulled within one to make it a 34-33 game.

DC was able to maintain its lead, as Anderson trailed 50-48 with under a minute left. With 33 seconds left, an Anderson layup was erased by a moving screen underneath, giving DC possession after a Jacket timeout. However, on the ensuing inbound, Mandy Seward stole an errant pass underneath the basket and was fouled while scoring the game-tying basket. After hitting the free throw, Anderson took a one-point edge. On the next Jacket possession, DC had a chance to take the lead with six seconds left, the jumper missed wide right and went out of bounds. On the Anderson inbound, DC fouled with two seconds left. After Melenda Hawthorne missed the first and sank the second, the Jackets had 2.8 seconds to score. Unfortunately for the Lady Jackets, the ball was knocked away before DC was able to get a shot off.

Kayla Mengerink led DC with 10 points and four assists. Mollie Patterson added seven points and seven rebounds, while Katie McNamara chipped in with seven points, five rebounds, and three steals.

Defiance (3-2, 0-2 HCAC) hosts HCAC-rival Bluffton University on Wednesday, December 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.