Tietje and Zachrich Score 18 to Lead DC Past Mount St. Joseph

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  Senior guard/forward Megan Zachrich (Napoleon) and sophomore forward Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patick Henry) both scored 18 points as the Defiance College women's basketball team defeated Mount St. Joseph University, 74-59, in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

Defiance shot 39.0 percent (23-of-59) from the floor and an impressive 87.5 percent (21-of-24) at the free-throw line.  Zachrich shot seven-of-15 (46.7 percent) and had four three-pointers to finish with her 18 points.  She also grabbed nine rebounds as the Yellow Jackets out-rebounded the Lions, 46-32.  Tietje ended up shooting five-of-12 (41.7 percent) from the field, including a perfect eight-of-eight at the charity stripe.  She also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.  Rounding out the high scorers for DC was freshman guard/forward Brittany Osborne (Union City, Ind./Union City) with 14 points to go along with nine boards.

The two teams played a competitive first half with eight lead changes and seven ties with neither team leading by more than five points.  MSJ led by five points at the 11:33 minute mark following a jumper to make it a 14-9 ball game.  Defiance answered with an ensuing 6-0 scoring run that ended with a three-pointer by Zachrich to give DC a 15-14 lead.  The Lions gained some breathing room late in the period with another five-point margin, 29-24, with just over three minutes remaining before halftime.  But DC rallied again with a second 6-0 run to end the period and grab a 30-29 advantage heading into the break.

MSJ opened the second half with a basket to regain the lead, but a a pair of free-throws by Tietje sparked an 8-1 run to put the Jackets on top, 38-32, with 16:29 to play in the game.  DC continued to pull away and recorded its first double-digit lead at the 13:04 mark thanks to another triple by Zachrich making the score, 47-37.  The Lions made one final charge and pulled to within five points, 51-46, before the Jackets put the game away with an ensuing 10-0 run on their way to posting their largest lead of the game, 68-48, with 2:43 to go following a jumper by Tietje.  MSJ got to within 13 points down the stretch, but the earlier lead was enough for DC as the Jackets went on to post the 74-59 victory.

MSJ shot 37.5 percent (21-of-56) from the floor overall and had one player score in double figures in Tara Dennis with a game-high 26 points.

Defiance will travel to Lexington, Ky. for a HCAC game against Transylvania University next Saturday, Dec. 13.  The game will part of a basketball doubleheader with the men's team.  The women will take on the Pioneers at 1 p.m., followed by the Defiance men at 3 p.m.