Oilers Take Tough Loss in Big Rapids
Big Rapids, MI – The University of Findlay women's basketball team squandered a 15-point fourth quarter lead on Sunday, Dec. 4 at the hands of Ferris State University. The Bulldogs won the game 62-58 to earn their first win of the season, now 1-6, while the Oilers fall to 4-4 on the year with an 0-2 mark in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play.
The game was back-and-forth in the first half as the teams traded the lead four times before the midway point. Despite shooting just 34.3% in that opening half, the Oilers did take a 31-27 lead into the break.
Findlay took control of the game in the third quarter, opening the frame with a 14-3 run. Junior Haley Horstman, who finished the game with 19 points, scored ten of those points in that third quarter. With a minute to play in the third, the Oilers had an 18-point lead, the largest of the game, before a three-pointer from Ferris St. made the score 51-36 heading into the final period.
In the fourth, the Bulldogs flipped the script and made a scoring run of their own. Ferris St. opened the quarter with a 22-4 run that included a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc. The Oilers struggled to shoot in the final quarter as they shot just 2-of-14 to close the game and finished 22-of-71 in the game (31%).
Ferris State won the rebound battled 47-38 and scored more fast break points (17-10) but committed more turnovers, 20 compared to just 11 from Findlay, and scored less points off of those turnovers. Three point shooting was a major factor in the game with Findlay hitting just 6-of-24 from deep while the Bulldogs connected on nine of their 14 attempts.
Horstman, a preseason all-GLIAC selection, scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting including a pair of three-pointers. She also grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists, and had three steals. Junior Lynsey Englebrecht scored nine points while sophomores Christa Puthoff and Anna Hintz added eight and seven points, respectively.
Sophomore Jenna Stegmaier was the leading rebounder as she collected seven boards.
Findlay returns home on Thursday, Dec. 8 when they host Northwood University at 5:30 pm.