The Bluffton University women's basketball team traveled to Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday, Jan. 25, for a matchup against the Rose-Hulman Engineers. The Beavers fought until the last seconds but dropped a 43-40 decision to the Engineers. The loss dropped Bluffton to 9-8 (3-7 HCAC), while Rose-Hulman improved to 3-14 (2-8 HCAC).

It was a slow start to the game as both teams were scoreless until the 4:56 mark when Emma Saltzman (Arcadia) dropped in a layup to put the Beavers on top 2-0. Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) hit a triple to put Bluffton up 5-2, but Rose answered back with a three of their own to tie it up 5-5. A 9-1 run for the Engineers would give them a 14-6 lead at the end of the first.

Saltzman and Tj Mills (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) hit back-to-back shots to cut the deficit to six (16-10) early in the second. Two Saltzman freebies pulled the Beavers within five before trifectas from Mills and Peyton Henry (Leipsic) closed the gap to just two (21-19) at halftime.

The Beaver offense sparked early in the second half when Nora Hemminger (McComb) made a layup to tie the game (21-21). Buckets from Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) and Mills gave Bluffton a long-awaited 25-21 lead. Rose-Hulman was able to pull within one, but Kylie Brock (Villa Hills, KY/Dixie Heights) hit a shot in the paint to push the Beavers ahead 28-25. Three free throws increased the Bluffton lead to seven (35-28) going into the final stanza.

The Engineer offense picked back up as they went on a 12-2 run to take a 41-37 lead with 38 ticks to play in the fourth. Mills hit a crucial trifecta which pulled the Beavers within one point (41-40) but it wasn't enough as Rose-Hulman converted two shots from the charity stripe to secure the 43-40 victory.

Mills led the Beaver offense with 11 points and three steals. Close behind was Saltzman who put up nine points with four rebounds. Gillig led the defense with seven boards, while Hemminger pulled down five caroms and had a team-high four steals.

Bluffton struggled mightily from the field as they were only able to bucket 14-of-58 (24.1 percent) shots, including 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) from far. Rose-Hulman netted 15-of-47 (31.9 percent) shots with 4-of-10 (40 percent) from deep. The Beavers hit 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) at the line and the Engineers converted 9-of-13 (69.2 percent). The home team pulled down 14 more boards (46-32) but they also turned the ball over 12 more times (23-11) as Bluffton came away with 14 steals.

The women are back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 29, when they travel to Richmond, Ind. for a contest with HCAC foe Earlham College. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.