Findlay Knocks of #20 Lewis
Indianapolis, IN – The University of Findlay women's basketball team picked up their first win of the 2016 campaign on Sunday, Nov. 13 in their final contest of the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover. The Oilers defeated #20 Lewis University 67-62 and now have a 1-1 record on the year. Lewis is also now 1-1. It was Findlay's first win over a top-25 opponent since Nov. 15, 2014 when they defeated the #22 ranked California (Pa.) Vulcans by a score of 74-66.
Findlay outshot the Flyers as the Orange and Black made 24 of 53 shots from the floor including five of 12 from behind the arc and made 14-of-17 from the charity stripe. Lewis mustered a shooting percentage of just 35.3% (18-of-51).
Part of that shooting success came as a result of the Oilers play in the paint. Findlay scored 34 of their 67 points in the key compared to Lewis' 12 points in the paint. Leading the way was sophomore Anna Hintz who hit six of her eight shots from the floor for a team-high 12 points. She also led the team with eight boards, three of which were offensive rebounds.
The Oilers also turned up the defensive pressure on Lewis as they were able to force 16 turnovers. While they did commit 14 turnovers of their own, Findlay made sure to turn the Flyers turnovers into points, scoring 22 points off turnovers and six fast break points. Junior Emily Molnar led the Oilers defense with three of the team's nine steals. Those three steals are a career-high for Molnar.
Findlay trailed at halftime of the game by a score of 32-24, but the second half began with back-to-back triples from senior Karli Bonar and, after an offensive foul by Lewis, sophomore Elissa Ellerbrock drove the lane and scored to tie the game at 32.
The teams battled back-and-forth before Findlay used a 12-0 run to begin the fourth quarter to take the lead. That lead was 63-53 with 3:44 remaining, the Oilers largest lead of the game, before the Flyers went on a run of their own. It was not enough as Findlay would pick up the win.
Bonar, who scored nine points in the third quarter, finished the game with 11 points on the strength of three triples. With those threes, Bonar now sits in sole possession of second all-time at Findlay for three pointers made in a career with 209.
Sophomore Christa Puthoff tied a career-high with eight points on three-of-four from the floor while Ellerbrock and junior Lynsey Englebrecht each scored seven.
Findlay's next contest will be on Wednesday, Nov. 16 when they travel to take on Wheeling Jesuit. That game will begin at 7:00 pm.