By: Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women’s basketball team found a way to earn a sloppy victory over Kalamazoo College on Saturday, Nov. 29, by a score of 69-56. The Beavers led from wire-to-wire, despite shooting just 31 percent from the floor and committing 12 turnovers on the afternoon. Bluffton improved to 4-1 on the season following its fourth straight victory, while the Hornets fell to 2-2.
The game opened with a triple from junior Kaitlyn Pennekamp (Hamilton/Ross), giving Bluffton a 3-0 lead out of the gate. The teams exchanged buckets until the Beavers went on a 7-0 spurt, pushing the lead to double digits (18-8) at the 10:29 mark of the half. The Hornets responded with a run late in the stanza to get the visitors within three markers before the Beavers extended it to five (31-26) at the break.
With the home team leading 40-33 at the 13:06 mark of the second period, the Beavers put K-zoo away by going on a 10-3 run over the next four minutes of action for a 50-36 lead capped by a couple freebies from Pennekamp. The spurt began with three straight buckets from Taylor Knight (Perrysburg), Brenna Kurilec (Mt. Gilead/Gilead Christian) and Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus). Following the 10-3 run, the lead never dipped into single digits and went as high as 18 on a deep triple from Taylor Whitaker (Mansfield/Lexington) late in the contest.
Both teams struggled shooting the rock throughout the contest, with the Beavers converting just 21-of-67 (31.3 percent) from the floor and 5-of-21 (23.8 percent) from beyond the arc. The visitors struggled as well, shooting just 14-of-56 for 25 percent, as well as 1-of-6 (16.7 percent) from deep. Bluffton ended with a distinct 54-40 advantage on the boards, including 20-11 on the offensive glass, and committed 12 turnovers to 15 for the Hornets.
Bluffton was led in scoring by a pair of guards, Kaitlyn Pennekamp and Taylor Whitaker, who put up 17 points apiece, with Pennekamp also dishing out a game-high four assists in the contest. Sophomore Rachel Beining (Ottoville) added 10 points and 10 boards for her sixth career double-double despite battling foul trouble throughout the contest and playing just 16 minutes. Taylor Knight tallied nine and Mikayla Coburn (McGuffey/Upper Scioto Valley) chipped in six for the home team while giving Bluffton solid minutes off the bench. The Hornets put two in double figures with Grace Smith adding 14 tallies and Kelsey Adamski chipping in 10.
The Beavers will kick off HCAC action on Wednesday, Dec. 3, as they play at the Sommer Center against a 2-2 Earlham College squad. Come support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
