The Bluffton University women's basketball team made the short trip to rival Defiance College on a cold and windy Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Defiance led 33-26 at halftime, but an outstanding third quarter and overtime by the Beavers propelled the visitors to a 76-71 win at the Weaner Center.

With the Bluffton men's game shelved due to COVID-19 protocols at Defiance College, the women took center stage and gave the fans more than their money's worth in the first of two meetings between the rivals this season. Bluffton improved to 7-5 overall and 2-3 in the Heartland Conference, while DC fell to 6-4 and 2-3 in the conference.

The Beavers trailed 33-26 at the break before triples by Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) and Peyton Henry (Leipsic) helped Bluffton start to turn the tide in the third quarter. Seven Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) points and an Angel Schneider (Columbus/Grove) three-point play made it 48-46 in favor of the visitors with one period to play.

Neither team was able to open a lead of more than three points in the fourth quarter until Gillig dialed long distance with 2:58 on the clock (61-57). Bluffton still led 63-59 with less than a minute to play, but Defiance knocked down four late free throws, sending the game to overtime.

Four Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) counters around an Emma Saltzman (Arcadia) bucket gave the good guys a 72-66 spread with 1:27 to play after Shardo picked Defiance off and went coast-to-coast! Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) and Gillig both split their tosses from the charity stripe in the final 32 seconds as Bluffton came away with the 76-71 victory on Wednesday night.

Gillig was too much for the Jackets, going for a game-high 28 points in 43 minutes of action. Schneider and Prigge both chipped in with 13 points, while Saltzman added eight counters. Gillig and Schneider both ripped down eight rebounds. Freshman Olivia Zender (Fostoria/Hopewell-Louden) cleaned the glass with a career-best seven boards. Saltzman led the women with four assists and two blocks and Fitzpatrick came up with four takeaways.

Bluffton hit 29-of-68 (42.6 percent) from the field, including 6-for-17 (35.3 percent) outside the arc. The Beavers pulled down five more rebounds (41-36) and both teams turned it over 14 times.

The Bluffton women return to action on Saturday, Jan. 8, when they host Rose-Hulman. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. in the Sommer Center with the men's contest to follow.