Three-Point Barrage Helps DC Rout Earlham

RICHMOND, Ind. – Defiance got back on track with an 86-66 defeat of Earlham College on Tuesday, December 30. The Jackets led from start to finish, using another strong night from beyond the arc to improve to 4-3 on the road this season.

DC started the game on fire from downtown, drilling five trifectas in the opening four minutes of the contest to claim a 21-10 advantage. Earlham scored the next eight points of the ballgame to cut the lead to three, before a pair of Holly Stein free throws capped off a 16-4 spurt that put the Jackets out in front, 37-22.

The second half proved to be much of the same, as Defiance saw its lead grow to as many as 28 while cruising to its fifth victory of the season. The Jackets forced 13 turnovers in the final stanza, crushing any hopes that Earlham may have had for a comeback.

Courtney Schmersal scored 18 of her team-high 20 points from three-point range, helping DC knock down 11 treys in the contest. Holly Stein added 16 points and four rebounds in her first game back from a service trip to Belize.

Shavonda Price recorded her third consecutive double-double with 14 points and a game-high ten caroms, accounting for six of Defiance's 26 second-chance points. Brooke Zachrich tallied 12 points and three steals in the first start of her career, while Amber Bailey had a six-point, nine-rebound, four-steal performance for the Jackets.

DC shot 44 percent from the field, while improving to 5-1 when scoring over 70 points. The Jackets forced 22 turnovers on the night, turning the Quakers' mishaps into 22 points. Defiance's reserves had another solid performance with 34 points in the game, after coming into the contest averaging over 28 points a night.

Defiance will open up 2009 with a doubleheader against HCAC foe Transylvania on Saturday, January 3. The women's contest is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. with the men's game to start shortly following its conclusion.