By Cort Reynolds
FINDLAY - Defensively tough host Liberty-Benton smothered Bluffton 50-30 in a non-conference girls basketball battle Tuesday night.

The 10th-ranked Lady Eagles limited Bluffton to 17 points through the first 24 minutes as they built a 22-point cushion.

Bluffton trailed 16-9 after one period, and L-B extended its lead to 28-13 at halftime. The Eagles stretched the advantage to 39-17 after three quarters. 

The Bluffton offense got untracked late and won the fourth period, 13-11.

The loss dropped the Lady Pirate record to 12-6 overall. Blanchard Valley Conference leader L-B improved to 14-2 with the win.

Pirate senior post Libby Schaadt scored eight points to lead Bluffton as no one reached double digits. Laykin Garmatter drilled the only Pirate triple and added six points.

Eagle post Caitlin Elseser dominated inside, canning 11 field goals to lead all scorers with 23 points. Sydney Elseser added 11 markers on the strength of three trifectas. 

The cold-shooting Bluffton girls sank just 10 baskets, including nine two-pointers and one from three-point range. The Pirate girls converted nine of 11 from the charity stripe (82 percent).

The Lady Eagles sank 21 field goals, 14 from inside the three-point line. L-B connected on seven triples and converted just one of four from the foul line (25 percent). 

Bluffton committed 11 of its 13 turnovers in the first half. L-B was also guilty of 13 miscues. 

L-B 50 (14-2)
Irwin 3 0-0 9, Ward 1 0-0 3, Recker 0 0-2 0, C. Elseser 11 1-2 23, Rhodes 2 0-0 4, S. Elseser 4 0-0 11.
Totals: 21/1-4/50. 3-pointers: Irwin 3, S. Elseser 3, Ward 1.

Bluffton 30 (12-6)
Bischoff 1 0-0 2, B. Garmatter 0, L. Garmatter 2 1-2 6, White 1 2-2 4, Stackhouse 2 0-0 4, Eachus 0 2-2 2, Monday 0, Busch 0 0-1 0, Bricker 0 2-2 2, Scoles 1 0-0 2, Schaadt 3 2-2 8.  
Totals: 10/9-11/30. 3-pointer: L. Garmatter 1.
 
    1    2    3    4    F
L-B    16    12    11    11    50
Bluf    9    4    4    13    30

Bluffton (4-3 NWC) visits backyard rival Allen East (4-12, 1-5 NWC) in a league bout Thursday, February 6. AE beat Waynesfield-Goshen 49-43 Monday.