Final Score:  Bluffton 59, Earlham 38
Location: Bluffton, Ohio – Sommer Center
Records: Earlham 0-2 / Bluffton 10-1

BLUFFTON, Ohio – Earlham College women's basketball was held to 25.0 percent shooting from the field and scoreless from three-point range as the Quakers were downed by Bluffton University, 59-38, on Saturday afternoon at the Sommer Center.

Earlham (0-2) was 11-of-44 from the floor with a 0-of-10 mark from long-range. Bluffton (10-1) also had its shooting struggles and finished the game with a .303 field goal percentage (20-of-66), but connected on nine 3-pointers to help its cause.

The Quakers did outscore the Beavers at the free-throw line, going 16-of-25 (.640) at the stripe to Bluffton's 10-of-12.

Senior Rosie Newhart led Earlham (0-2) with 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field and a 4-of-5 mark at the line. Senior Kayla Bowling charted seven points and six rebounds, while sophomore Neely Trenshaw logged seven points to go with four steals.

First year Marissa Quiroz also hauled down six boards for the Quakers.

Sammy Shardo and Brianna Gillig each finished with 15 points for Bluffton, with Gillig grabbing 10 rebounds to complete the double-double.

The Quakers were within six points of the Beavers, 21-15, as late as the 8:37 mark of the second quarter, following a traditional 3-point play by Bowling. Earlham would go scoreless for over seven minutes, and the resulting 9-0 run for Bluffton helped the Beavers take a 32-17 lead in the locker room at halftime.

Bluffton extended its advantage throughout the third quarter as the Beavers' lead climbed to 28 points, 54-26, in the final minute of the frame.

Earlham women's basketball will return to action on Friday, Jan. 29, when it hosts Transylvania University at 7:00 p.m. at the Druley Performance Gym. No fans will be permitted at the game under Earlham College COVID-19 policies and HCAC return to play protocols.