DEFIANCE, Ohio --- The Defiance College Lady Yellow Jackets finished the regular season with a big win on the road versus Transylvania University (19-5, 10-4), 57-51. The Lady Jackets will go into the conference tournament posting a 10-4 HCAC record and a 14-10 overall record.

Junior guard Kara Jones was 6-11 from behind the arc and a perfect 2-2 from the charity stripe for a game high 20 points. Senior Kelly VanderHorst had 10 points and six rebounds while senior Meta Gerding and freshman Kayla Mengerink both had eight points. Transy’s Annie Rardin had a team high 16 points.

Transy built a seven point lead by the 15:13 mark, 9-2, but Jones was responsible for 10 points in the 14 point run the Lady Jackets built with two assists and back to back three pointers. Mengerink’s field goal ended the run with 11:31 remaining in the first half, 11-17. Transy’s defense kept the lead under five and a Katie Holmes field goal at the 00:36 mark sent the teams into halftime tied, 26-26.

Jones gave DC a quick six point lead to start the half with a pair of back-to-back treys. The lead was extended to eight, 28-36, by sophomore Sara Bird’s free throws with 13:47 remaining. Defiance held onto the lead until Transy’s Rardin converted an old fashioned three point play. Transy took a one point lead but Jones hit her final three to give the Lady Jackets a two point lead with 00:44 to go. The Jackets were 4-4 from the line in the last 12 seconds of play.

The Lady Jackets will host Manchester College in the opening round of HCAC Tournament play Tues. Feb 22 at 7:30 p.m.