November 29

Lady Jackets drop first game of the year
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

Defiance vs. Manchester Box Score

N. MANCHESTER, Ind. – The end result of a tightly contested game between Defiance College and Manchester College did not go the way of the Lady Jackets, as DC fell to the Spartans by the score 53-50 for its first loss of the season.

The first half was a hectic battle back and forth as the two teams traded leads nine times while tying the game seven times in the first 20 minutes of action. Manchester’s largest lead in the half was a 24-20 advantage with 4:33 left to play, while the Lady Jackets never led by more than three in the half. By the end of the period, DC held a scant 28-26 lead.

At the start of the second half, both teams kept the defensive pressure up, as neither Manchester nor Defiance would score for the first three minutes of the half. The Spartans would be the first to put some points on the board, tying the game at 28 at the 16:21 mark. A Sarah Grime jumper would put DC back on top by two, but the lead would not last long, as 15-4 run over the next six minutes would put Manchester ahead 43-34.

DC would not go down quietly, as the Lady Jackets answered with a 14-5 run of their own to knot the game at 48 with 4:37 left. However, the Spartans would answer with a free throw and a layup to regain the lead with 1:45 left in the game. Sarah Bird brought DC within one with a layup with 81 seconds left, which would hold up until 16 seconds remained on the clock, forcing DC to foul.

Manchester’s Stacey Wendel sank both free throws to extend the gap to three. With six seconds left, Kayla Mengerink put up a potential game-tying three. Unfortunately for the Jackets, the shot could not find the bottom of the net as the Spartans escaped with the victory.

Mengerink led DC with 17 points while adding three rebounds and two steals. Katie McNamara chipped in with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Mandy White did not reach double figures in scoring for the first time this season, but still added five points and six rebounds.

Defiance (3-1, 0-1 HCAC) finally gets to return home as the Jackets will host Anderson University Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.