The Bluffton University women’s basketball team was defeated by Transylvania University, 63-52, on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012.

The Beavers slipped to 5-3 overall and 1-3 in the HCAC, while Transylvania moved to 6-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 in the HCAC.

The Pioneers came out ready to play and were up 5-0 less than three minutes into the game.

The Beavers fought back as a three-pointer from freshman Kaitlyn Pennekamp (Hamilton/Ross) at the 12:38 mark cut Transy’s lead to just two.

A two-point Transy edge ballooned to 13 with 2:31 to play in the half following a 17-6 run that made the score 32-19. Back-to-back layups by sophomore Rachel DeBord (Lebanon) pulled the Beavers within nine.

The half ended with the Beavers down by 10 (35-25) after a pair of Taylor Whitaker (Mansfield/Lexington) makes at the stripe.

At the 16:19 mark of period two, junior Kylee Burkholder (West Unity/Hilltop) made a jumper which cut Transylvania’s lead to five

. The next 12 minutes continued with the same pattern of Transy pulling ahead by eight or nine points only to have the Beavers cut it back down to three or four.

With just over three minutes left in the game freshman Taylor Whitaker drained a triple, freshman Brook Ruffer (Stryker) got to the rack, freshman Taylor Knight (Perrysburg) sank a free throw and junior Lauren Hutton (New Riegel) converted a layup to cut the Pioneers' lead to only two.

Pennekamp quickly followed with a layup and trifecta of her own, tying up the game (52-52) with 2:16 left on the clock. Transy did not waste any time responding and when the horn sounded, the visitors were back up by double digits, 63-52.

The Beavers were led by Pennekamp who had a career-high 12 points and three steals for the night. DeBord and Knight each contributed nine counters to go along with Hutton and Whitaker who added seven apiece. Hutton also led the Beavers with seven rebounds.

Bluffton shot 19-of-59 (32.2 percent) from the field, compared to Transy’s 17-of-42 (40.5 percent). The Beavers were just 3-of-15 (20.0 percent) from behind the arc, while the Pioneers were only 1-of-7 (14.3 percent).

The visitors dominated on the glass (48-29), but the Beavers turned it over eight fewer times (22-14).

The Beavers travel to Thomas More for a non-conference clash with the Saints on Tuesday, Dec. 18. The contest is slated for 6 p.m.