BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team continued its great start to 2026, defeating Berea College 59-51 on Alumni Day as the Beavers won for the fourth time in five games since the calendar turned over! Bluffton improved to 8-8 overall and 4-5 in the Heartland Conference, while Berea slipped to 9-7 and 6-3 in the HCAC.
Bluffton trailed 3-2 at the first media timeout as both offenses struggled to put the biscuit in the basket. However, an 8-0 scoring splurge that included two buckets from freshman Karlie Niekamp (Tipp City/Fort Recovery) made it 10-5 after period one.
Triples from Alexis Stevely (Marion/Wynford) and Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) pushed the lead to 16-5 just over a minute into the second quarter. Clark followed with a pair of jumpers and freshman Macee Heckathorn (Kenton) got to the rack, making it 22-9 in favor of the home team. A Mackenzea Townsend (Union City/Mississinawa Valley) basket helped the Beavers to a 24-17 lead at the break.
Berea trimmed its deficit to four points (30-26) at the 5:50 mark of period three, but the Beavers scored 13 unanswered to close the third quarter with a commanding 43-26 lead. Clark was on fire, hitting 3-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line for 10 of Bluffton's 19 points.
Bluffton saw its big lead whittled to four points (55-51) with a minute to play before four freebies, including a pair of Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) makes, gave the Beavers their first victory (59-51) over the Mountaineers since they joined the Heartland Conference!
Clark was on fire, hitting 8-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the line for 23 points, just two off her career-high! She also added four rebounds and two blocks. Brown followed with 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa), who dished out five dimes, and Jessica Moore (Trenton/Edgewood) both ripped down seven boards. Niekamp and Moore picked off three steals apiece.
Bluffton hit just 20-of-55 (36.4 percent) from the field, but it was an efficient 3-of-7 (42.9 percent) outside the arc. The Beavers cashed in with 16-of-22 at the line (72.7 percent). The home team destroyed Berea on the boards (56-34) but the Beavers coughed it up 10 more times (24-14).
The Bluffton women will be back in the Sommer Center for a 7 p.m. tip with Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
-BEAVERS-
