By Jordan Marbaugh, sports information assistant

The Bluffton University women’s basketball team suffered an 84-69 loss at Hanover College on Saturday, Jan. 5. The  Beavers dipped to 1-5 in Heartland Conference and 6-7 overall. Hanover improved to 4-2 in the HCAC and 10-3 overall.

Hanover opened the game with a 6-0 run before two-sport standout Brooke Ruffer (Stryker) got the Beavers on the scoreboard when she drained a triple. Bluffton called a timeout at the 9:37 mark after seeing the Hanover lead grow to 20-10.

Seven Kaitlyn Pennekamp (Hamilton/Ross) counters in the last six minutes of the opening stanza helped Bluffton pull within 11 points before a Katie Gahimer bucket at the buzzer made the score 38-26 at the break.

The second half started with Hanover pushing the lead to 50-31 at the 14:58 mark. The Beavers closed the gap to 67-55 after a three by Kaitlyn Pennekamp with 7:08 left. However, Hanover was too much down the stretch as the Panthers finished off their 84-69 victory despite six late points by Ruffer.

The Beavers had three players in double digits and were led by Ruffer’s 16. Pennekamp dropped in 12 and Mikayla Coburn (McGuffey/Upper Scioto Valley) added 11. Ruffer also tallied 12 rebounds for her third career double-double. Brenna Kurilec (Mt. Gilead/Gilead Christian) dished out five assists.

Hanover hit 33-of-72 from the field (45.8 percent), compared to 23-of-58 (39.7 percent) for the Beavers. Bluffton turned it over six more times (24-18) and Hanover pulled down two more rebounds (42-40).

The Beavers return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 9, when they host Earlham. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. on Copeland Court in the Sommer Center.

Stats www.bluffton.edu/sports/womensbasketball/2013/01-05-wb.htm