The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost 58-49 at Spencerville in a Northwest Conference contest Thursday night, January 27.

The Lady Pirates fell to 14-5 overall and 3-3 in the NWC after suffering just their second loss in the last 12 games. Spencerville improved to 11-7 and 3-3 in the NWC with the win. The two teams are now tied for fourth place in the league standings. Both squads are out of the running for the conference crown.

The battle was tied 14-14 after the first period of play as Sami Scoles scored six points and Kylie Stackhouse netted four. 

Pirate Kylie Monday scored five points during a 9-0 second quarter spurt that put Bluffton briefly ahead, 25-23.

But Spencerville came back to seize a 28-26 intermission edge when Claire Hoback canned a long triple with just over a minute left in the half.

The Bearcat girls took control with a 14-7 third stanza as Kirsten Wurst scored nine points to shoot the hosts into a nine-point lead heading to the final quarter.

The teams battled evenly in the fourth period. Spencerville maintained its nine-point margin by nailing a dozen free throws.

Bearcat Gabi Croft hit on five of six free throws, and Lilyan Goecke converted four of six charity stripers down the final stretch.

Senior wing Monday led the Pirates with 11 markers. Senior point guard Scoles contributed 10 points.

Freshman post Ayla Grandey netted eight points, while senior post Stackhouse added six points.

Croft topped all players with 17 points. Wurst tallied 13 markers, and Goecke added nine. Hoback and Emma Prine netted eight apiece. Prine scored six of her points in the final quarter, including the first five to keep Bluffton at bay.

Spencerville 58 (11-7, 3-3 NWC)

Croft 17, Wurst 13, Goecke 9, Prine 8, Hoback 8, Keller 3.

Bluffton 49 (14-5, 3-3 NWC)

Monday 11, Scoles 10, Grandey 8, Stackhouse 6, Giesige 5, Busch 4, Eachus 3.

1 2 3 4 F

Svl 14 14 14 16 58

Blu 14 12 9 14 49

Bluffton (3-3 NWC) hosts tough league rival Columbus Grove (13-5, 5-1 NWC) Thursday, February 3. 

The Pirate girls then entertain non-league power Miller City (12-3) Saturday, Feb. 5.

The regular season finale is Feb. 10 at local league rival Allen East (10-7, 2-4 NWC). The Mustang girls are quick and athletic, but youthful.