Jones’s 28 gives DC second conference win
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The DC Lady Jackets put another notch under their conference belts as they beat HCAC rival Bluffton University Wednesday evening by the score 83-77.

The game began at a neck-and-neck pace, as there were six lead changes and four ties all within the first 10 minutes of action. As DC held a 23-22 lead halfway into the period, the Jackets turned up the heat offensively, stretching the lead to 10 with six-and-a-half left in the period. Although the Beavers cut it to six, a 15-9 Jacket run would close out the half, bringing the score to 49-37.

The second half started the same way as the previous period ended: with hot shooting by Defiance, as Kara Jones scored the Jackets’ first eleven points of the period. With Jones leading the way, Bluffton found it difficult to gain any ground on the Jackets, as DC maintained its double-digit lead until the seven-minute mark when the score stood 66-58. After DC built the lead back up to 13, Bluffton put a scare into DC as they erased that lead to five with under four minutes to play. Defiance was able to stretch it to ten, making it 76-66, but again the Beavers gnawed away at the lead and cut it back to five with 1:33 left. Fortunately for Defiance, that would be as close as Bluffton would get, as DC would protect the lead with layups on the inbound and free throws.

Jones shot the ball unconsciously, going 11-for-17 from the field and 6-for-9 from beyond the arc to finish the game with 28 points, along with seven assists and six rebounds. Meghann Savard cleaned up with 16 points and eight rebounds. Sarah Grime came just shy of her third double-double of the season, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds.

DC goes for its third win in row when they travel to take on Franklin College Saturday at 3:00 p.m.