Beavers lose two games on the week including a one-point heartbreaking loss to Hanover
sports information staff report
January 31, 2005
The Bluffton University women’s basketball team dropped both of their games last week. The Beavers were defeated by Heartland Conference rival Defiance at home 78-65 and lost a heartbreaker to HCAC opponent Hanover in Founders Hall 61-60. The women’s team will take on two conference squads this week as they travel to Franklin College on Feb. 2 (7:30 p.m. tip off) and host Transylvania University on Feb. 5 (3 p.m. tip off).
Defiance College 78, Bluffton University 65
BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Bluffton University women’s basketball team (4-14, 1-6 HCAC) was defeated 78-65 by rival Defiance College (10-7, 6-1 HCAC) on Jan. 26.
Bluffton started the game slow by falling behind early. The Yellow Jackets jumped out to an 8-0 lead before the Beavers would score their first points. Defiance's lead would increase to 15 points with 7:33 left in the first period, but Bluffton fought back with solid shooting and would only find themselves down by seven points at halftime 39-32.
Early in the second half, the Beavers came within five points but never got any closer. The game went back and forth with Bluffton hanging around for most of the period, but solid shooting by Defiance sealed the 78-65 victory.
Leading the Beavers on the evening was freshman Ashleigh Stallkamp (Paulding/Paulding) who posted a career-high 25 points including four three-pointers. Stallkamp also led the team in rebounding with 11 boards for the double-double. Freshman Amanda Bell (Napoleon/Liberty-Center) also had a career-high night in scoring by chipping in 15 points and four assists (team high). Sophomore Tanya Rickenberg (Defiance/Paulding) rounded out double digit scoring with 14 points.
Hanover College 61, Bluffton University 60
BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Bluffton University women’s basketball team (4-15, 1-7 HCAC) was defeated 61-60 by Hanover College (11-8, 4-4 HCAC) on Jan. 29.
Leading the Beavers on the afternoon was junior Karin Schaller (Jenera/Arlington) with 17 points (team high), six rebounds and five blocked shots. Freshman Ashleigh Stallkamp (Paulding, Paulding) posted 17 points (team high) and seven rebounds. Sophomore Tanya Rickenberg (Paulding/Paulding) rounded out double digit scoring for Bluffton with ten points, she also added six rebounds. Freshman Amanda Bell (Napoleon/Liberty Center) led the Beavers with a career high 10 rebounds and a team high seven assists.
Bluffton came out strong and kept the game in their favor until the 14 minute mark when Hanover took a 13-12 lead. The Beavers and Panthers would battle back and forth for the remainder of the period, as the game would be tied five different times (34-34 halftime).
Hanover would slowly take control of the second half and went ahead by as many as seven points with 7:57 left to play. However, with solid shooting the Beavers fought their way back and took the lead 56-55 with 2:22 remaining off a pair of Stallkamp free-throws. Bluffton would gain a three point lead with 56 ticks left on a fade-away jumper by Stallkamp. The Panthers would answer right back and take the lead for good off back-to-back three pointers by Laura Little. Bluffton came up short on its final possession and the Panthers took the 61-60 victory.
Leading the Beavers on the year
HCAC team statistics
Bluffton leads the HCAC in blocked shots per game with a 5.11 per game average (97 on the year). The Beavers are second in the conference in offensive rebounds with 298 total (15.68 per game) and fifth in defensive rebounds with 466 (24.21 per game). Bluffton also ranks fifth among conference teams in assists per game with a 12.53 average (238 total).
Individual statistical leaders
Freshman Ashleigh Stallkamp leads the Beavers and ranks eighth in the HCAC in scoring with 265 total points (13.9 points per game). Stallkamp leads the team in steals with 43 (fifth in HCAC) and rebounds totaling 114. Tanya Rickenberg has poured in 224 points on the year to rank second on the squad and 11th in the conference in scoring and leads Bluffton in assists with 43 total (13th in HCAC). Rickenberg contributes a .425 field goal percentage (10th in HCAC) and a .721 free throw average (10th in HCAC) to lead the Beavers in both categories. Karin Schaller leads Bluffton and the HCAC in blocked shots per game with 3.05 averages (58 total) and ranks second on the team in rebounds with 101 (16th in HCAC).
