RICHMOND, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team downed Earlham College 57-47 on a cold Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. Bluffton improved to 7-8 overall and 3-5 in the Heartland Conference, while the hosts fell to 1-14 and 0-8 in the HCAC.
Six points from senior Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) helped the Beavers go up 10-9 midway through the first period. Earlham took a 15-10 lead at the 3:52 mark, but a 10-point jag for the visitors helped Bluffton to a 20-17 edge after quarter one. Junior Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) and sophomore Mackenzea Townsend (Union City/Mississinawa Valley) bucketed five apiece in the run, both netting three-point plays for the visitors.
A Brown hoop-and harm pushed the lead to 25-20 just over a minute into the second stanza. Freshman Karlie Niekamp (Tipp City/Fort Recovery) sandwiched a pair of buckets around a Jessica Moore (Trenton/Edgewood) trifecta and Clark followed with a jumper, making it 35-22 at the two-minute mark. Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) and Brown gave the Beavers a 39-27 lead at the break.
The offense went south in the third quarter as Bluffton managed just five points, but the Beavers still led 44-38 thanks to a defense that held Earlham to 11 markers.
A 9-3 spurt for the Quakers knotted the game at 47-47 with 5:14 to play before Brown's jumper put the Beavers back on top. Freshman Macee Heckathorn (Kenton) got a tip-in and Fenstermaker's layup pushed the lead to six. Free throws from Clark and Fenstermaker helped Bluffton ice its 57-47 victory.
Brown and Fenstermaker both put together monster double-doubles for the victors. Fenstermaker scored 10 points and ripped down a career-best 17 boards, while Brown tallied 17 counters and finished with 10 rebounds. Clark scored 12 points and Heckathorn hauled in eight caroms. She blocked two shots, while Fenstermaker picked up three steals.
Bluffton finished 21-of-70 from the field (30 percent) after knocking down just 5-of-35 (14.3 percent) during the second half. The Beavers ripped down 14 more rebounds (52-38), while Earlham turned it over six more times (15-9). The visitors finished with a 17-6 advantage in second-chance points.
The Beavers are back home for Community Day on Saturday, Jan. 17, when Berea College travels up Interstate 75 for a double feature in the Sommer Center. Alumni Day activities kick off at 10 a.m with the women's tip slated for 1 p.m.
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