January 30, 2016
By: Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - All streaks must come to an end, and that was the case for the #21 Bluffton University women’s basketball team as they fell to the Rose-Hulman Institute of the Technology, 57-50, in Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday, Jan. 30. The loss was Bluffton’s first of the season, as they now stand 18-1 overall and 11-1 in HCAC play. The Engineers, meanwhile, won their 11th straight contest and improved to 16-3 overall and 10-2 in conference play. Congratulations to the Bluffton women on their record-setting string of 18 victories to start the season and good luck as they continue to zero in on their first-ever Heartland Conference title!
The Beavers would start the contest hot from the floor, scoring nine straight points after Rose-Hulman’s opening layup. The run began with four straight counters from Rachel Beining (Ottoville) and continued with a Kaitlyn Pennekamp (Hamilton/Ross) jumper, followed by a bucket and a free throw by Taylor Knight (Perrysburg) which put Bluffton up, 9-2. Rose-Hulman would fire back, ending the period on an 11-4 run to take a 13-12 lead after one.
The visitors would take a brief lead on a deuce by Macey Sheerer (Bucryus), but Rose-Hulman began to assert control from there, outscoring the Beavers 11-5 in the second to take a 24-17 lead into the locker room.
After Beining opened the third quarter with a layup, Rose-Hulman rattled off nine straight markers for a 33-19 spread just two minutes into the third. After Bluffton got the lead to 12, a jumper from Beining and a hoop-and-harm for Knight pulled the Beavers to within seven (35-28) at the 5:38 mark. But the home team would stay in control, getting the lead back to 14 late in the third. Two late free throws from Sheerer made it 48-36 after three quarters.
The Beavers got a bucket from Beining and back-to-back deuces by Pennekamp for the only points of the fourth for either team with only 3:35 left to play. However, the Engineers converted 9-of-12 from the stripe down the stretch, which was enough to survive for a 57-50 victory.
One key to the loss for the Beavers was the turnover battle, as Bluffton committed eight more miscues (11-3) in the first half and three more (17-14) overall. The visitors also finished with one of their lowest shooting percentages of the season at 37.5 percent (18-of-48). The Beavers went 0-for-10 from deep and just 63.6 percent (14-of-22) at the stripe. The RHIT shooting was not spectacular either, as they hit 40.4 percent (19-of-47) from the floor. Bluffton outrebound Rose-Hulman, 37-35.
The Beavers were led in scoring by Kaitlyn Pennekamp who came off the bench to bucket 16 points on 6-of-12 from the floor and a team-high three steals. Rachel Beining added 13 points and eight boards. Taylor Knight put up eight points and led the Beavers with four assists, while Kaycee Rowe (Harrod/Allen East) finished with just four points but added 10 rebounds in the loss.
Rose-Hulman had three scorers in double digits, led by 13 from Alyzia Dilworth. Abby Bromenschenkel added 11 points, while Ally Bromenschenkel chipped in ten.
The Beavers hit the road again ready to kick off their next winning streak on Wednesday, Feb. 3 as they take on the Manchester University Spartans at 7:30 p.m. Following a trip to Transylvania University on Saturday, Feb. 7, Bluffton finally returns home on Wednesday, Feb. 10 for their double-dipper with the Defiance College Yellow Jackets. That will tip at 6 p.m. Come support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
