Trine Routs Defiance

Trine Routs Defiance

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Trine University women's basketball team held Defiance College to just 16 points in the second half and defeated the Yellow Jackets, 71-40, in non-conference action in Defiance, Ohio.

Trine (9-1) led right from the start with seven straight points to begin the game and recorded its first double-digit lead with 1:46 to go in the first quarter following a three-pointer by freshman Tara Bieniewicz (Chesterfield, Mich./Dakota).  The Thunder led by as many as 15 points in the period, 25-10, thanks to a three-point play by senior Shaely Duff (Greenfield, Ind./Mount Vernon) with 35 seconds remaining.  Defiance (2-8) scored the final points of the frame, but Trine still led by a sizeable advantage after the first 10 minutes, 25-12.

In the second quarter, Trine continued to put distance between itself and its opponents and posted its first 20-point lead at the 4:41 mark after a layup by senior Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) that made the score, 37-17.  The Thunder went to record their largest lead of the quarter with just under a minute to go as part of a 6-0 mini run that ended in a layup by freshman Kelsy Taylor (Louisville, Ky./New Albany) which made it a 45-19 game en route to Trine having a 45-24 advantage at the intermission.

Coming out of the locker room, Trine went on a 7-0 spurt to make the score, 52-24, capped by a layup by senior Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold).  The lead ballooned to as many as 30 points twice in the third quarter and took a 28-point margin into the final period, 60-32.

Baskets by senior Montana Martin (Columbia City, Ind./Churubusco) and Taylor gave Trine its largest lead of the game of 32 points on separate occasions that included a 68-36 score with 5:18 left in the contest.  The final points of the game came on a layup by freshman Julia Pate (Newburgh, Ind./Castle) with 12 seconds to go as Trine went on to win by the final of 71-40.

The Thunder were led in scoring by Dawson who scored a game-high 20 points on 10-of-18 shooting (55.6 percent).  Williams also finished the game in double figures with 13 points to round out the high scorers.  Williams also grabbed a team-high five rebounds.

Trine will be idle until the two-day Transylvania Tournament hosted by Transylvania (Ky.) University on Friday-Saturday, Dec. 28-29.  The Thunder will take on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. in Lexington, Ky.