ST LOUIS, Mo. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team went down by 11 points midway through the opening stanza but the visitors outscored Webster 44-33 in the second period to secure their first victory of the season while taking in the St. Louis sights. Bluffton stands 1-1 after a long weekend on Interstate 70.
For the second straight day, a slow offensive start put the Beavers in a sizeable hole before they could get untracked. Hoops by Rachel Beining (Ottoville) and Kaitlyn Pennekamp (Hamilton/Ross) were the only points for Bluffton in the first eight minutes as Webster opened up an early 12-4 spread.
Back-to-back buckets by Abby Jerger (Middletown/Madison) and Taylor Whitaker (Mansfield/Lexington) made it a four-point game before Webster answered with nine of the next 11 counters for a 21-10 lead at the 7:36 mark. Triples by Whitaker and Pennekamp helped Bluffton pull within 23-21 with just under three minutes to play in period one. The Gorlocks scored the last three points of the half for a 26-21 lead at the break.
Webster was still up by seven (41-34) with 11:18 to play before the Beavers started to make their move. An 11-0 jag aided by three Gorlock turnovers put Bluffton up 45-41 at the 8:36 mark. Brenna Kurilec (Mt. Gilead/Gilead Christian) connected on a pair of deuces and freshman Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus) capped the run with a hoop and harm, giving the visitors their first lead of the afternoon.
With the score tied at 51, Pennekamp dialed long distance and Taylor Knight (Perrysburg) followed with a freebie for a 55-51 spread. Four straight Brittany Harris-Conway foul shots knotted the score back up 55-55, but Sheerer sparked a 6-0 run as Bluffton went up 61-55. She scored seven of Bluffton's last eight points as the Beavers sealed their 65-59 win over Webster.
Sheerer hit 8-of-10 at the line and 4-of-8 from the field for a team-high 16 points. Pennekamp drained 3-of-5 from distance for 15 points and she came up with four steals. Beining finished with eight points, nine boards and five steals for the victors. Kurilec chipped in with eight points and four steals. Knight handed out three assists to go along with her six points.
Bluffton picked up 21 steals and pulled down 36 rebounds. The Beavers were 23-of-63 from the field (36.5 percent) and 15-for-21 (71.4 percent) at the line. Webster turned it over 31 times, seven more than the Beavers did.
The Bluffton women look forward to their home opener on Saturday, Nov. 22, when they welcome the College of Wooster. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the Sommer Center. Come support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
