HOLLAND, Mich.-- Trine played the no. 12 team in the nation tough early, but fell to Hope 63-50 in MIAA-action Wednesday night at DeVos Fieldhouse.
A 19-4 surge to close the first half opened up a double-digit lead for the Dutch, which proved too much for the Thunder to overcome as they were unable to get closer than eight the rest of the way. Maura McAfee's double-double led the way for Hope, as the junior scored a game-high 18 points to go along with 15 rebounds. She added three blocks. Whitney Shaffer (Tipton, Ind./Tri-Central) led Trine with eight points. All ten Thunder to play scored. Trine falls to 11-6 overall and concludes the first half of MIAA play at 5-3. The Thunder are in third place in the MIAA. Hope improves to 15-2 overall, 7-1 in league play.
Taylor Cole (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Shepherd) and Ashley Elliott (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) came off the bench to notch seven points apiece for Trine. Cole's offensive production has picked up of late, with the sophomore scoring seven or more in four of the last five games. Elliott added eight rebounds.
Rebekah Llorens added 13 points and nine boards for Hope. Llorens and McAfee paced the Dutch to a 28-18 edge in points in the paint. Each team shot 33 percent from the field, but Hope was able to capitalize on 15-of-20 free throw attempts (75 percent) to Trine's 8-of-16 (50 percent) effort.
The Thunder battled tough over the first 10 minutes, leading on several occasions and taking an 18-15 lead on a Kelsey Henselmeier (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) jumper with 9:05 to play. An Autumn Anderson three answered and tied the score, and Hope seized control down the stretch of the first half to take a 34-22 lead into the break.
Trine was able to close the deficit to eight on a Kayla Dunn (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) jumper with 6:11 to play, but Hope responded with seven-straight points to put the game away.
Trine returns to action this Saturday, Jan. 24 when they continue a four-game road swing at Kalamazoo. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m.