By Cort Reynolds
OTTOVILLE - The visiting Bluffton girls basketball team battled hard but lost 44-36 at undefeated Ottoville Saturday afternoon in non-league play.

The Lady Pirates dropped to 2-3 after the defeat, while Ottoville improved to 3-0 with the win.

Lady Pirate Laykin Garmatter led Bluffton with 20 points on the strength of four trifectas. Nicole Knippen of Ottoville matched her with 20 points and four treys as well.

Ottoville jumped out to a 13-4 lead after the first period as Knippen canned two triples and scored eight points. 

Bluffton fought back within 20-16 at halftime by holding the Big Green to just seven markers in the second stanza.

The Pirate girls edged within 31-28 heading to the fourth period behind eight points and two treys from Garmatter in the third stanza. 

But Knippen drained two more three's and Ottoville hit six free throws in the final period to outscore the visitors 13-8 down the stretch.

Garmatter was the only Pirate to sink a field goal in the fourth quarter as she canned a triple and a two-pointer.

Sami Scoles drained one trey and contributed eight points for Bluffton, but no other Pirate scored over four.

Alexa Honigford and Elis Kramer each talied seven points to support Knippen for the Green.

The Lady Pirates sank five three-pointers and five two-point goals.

Both teams converted 11 of 15 free throw tries (73 percent).

Ottoville connected on 13 shots overall from the field, including seven from beyond the arc.

Ottoville 44 (3-0)
Thomas 0, Honigford 2 1-2 7, Furley 2 0-0 4, Kramer 1 5-6 7, Knippen 6 4-4 20, G. Gamble 0, German 0, F. Gamble 0 1-3 1, Leis 1 0-0 3.
Totals: 6-7/11-15/44. 3-pointers: Knippen 4, Honigford 2, Leis 1. 

Bluffton 36 (2-3)
Bischoff 0, L. Garmatter 6 4-6 20, Stackhouse 1 2-2 4, Busch 0 0-1 0, Bricker 0, Eachus 0, Scoles 2 3-4 8, Monday 1 2-2 4. 
Totals: 5-5/11-15/36. 3-pointers: Garmatter 4, Scoles 1.

    1    2    3    4    F    
Ovl    13    7    11    13    44     
Bluf    4     12    12     8     36    

Bluffton (0-1 NWC) resumes league play by hosting local rival Ada (1-2, 0-1 NWC) Thursday, December 10. 

Ada lost to defending league champion Columbus Grove 54-15 in their NWC opener, but the Bulldogs bounced back to beat Perry 55-35 Saturday.