DC Stays Unbeated in the HCAC and Moves Win Streak to Three

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Yellow Jacket women's basketball squad came into the evening looking to win its third game in a row for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. Defiance hosted Anderson in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup, with the Jackets claiming a 56-42 victory to remain unbeaten in the HCAC at 2-0. [Video Highlights]

The Jackets got off to a good start in the contest, as a Hannah Harshman jumper gave DC an early 11-4 lead after just nine minutes of action. The Ravens responded with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 13-11 with seven minutes to go in the opening stanza.

A Marissa Kath layup moved the score to 17-11 with six minutes remaining on the clock and then Erica King started to heat up. The junior buried three shots from distance, including one at the halftime buzzer, to give the Jackets a 26-17 lead. King led all scorers at the break with 11 points and senior center Kim Comden added seven of her own to contribute to the nine-point lead.

After trading buckets to start the second half, another three-pointer by King gave the Jackets a 31-21 lead with 18 minutes left in the game. The Purple and Gold never let the lead dip below 10 points the rest of the way. The lead fluctuated between 10 and 16 points over the last ten minutes, with the Jackets in control of the action.

The key stat of the game for DC was the turnover totals. The Jackets only turned the ball over nine times in the game, the lowest total of the season, compared to forcing 19 Anderson turnovers.  The Defiance defense recorded 10 steals and three blocks, while holding the Ravens to a .353 field goal percentage.

Comden and King led Defiance in scoring, as each scored 17 points on the evening and shot 50 percent or better from the floor. Comden added five rebounds, three blocks and two steals to her performance, while King kept up with her impressive season three-point percentage at 50 percent by going 4-8 from downtown. With the four treys, the junior is now only 11 makes from distance away from tying the all-time career DC record held by Courtney Schmersal of 143.

Other key contributors for the Purple and Gold were Harshman, Kath and Megan Zachrich. Harshman put up a season-high eight points and added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals to her final stat line. Kath set a career-high in points and rebounds with five and nine respectively and recorded an assist and a steal in the contest. Zachrich did a little bit of everything for the Jackets, as the sophomore scored nine points, grabbed seven boards, and had three assists and a steal.

With the victory, the Purple and Gold levels its season record to 3-3 and keeps its conference record unblemished at 2-0. The Yellow Jackets have a quick turnaround, as the squad hosts Hanover College in an HCAC matchup on Saturday, December 8. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.