BELOIT, Wis. — Fueled by a dominant second quarter and a relentless transition offense, the Beloit College women's basketball team secured a hard-fought 75-70 victory over Blackburn College on Saturday afternoon at Flood Arena.
The win improves Beloit's record to 2-4 on the season, while keeping Blackburn winless at 0-6.
The game began as a back-and-forth affair, with the teams deadlocked at 14-14 after the first quarter. However, the momentum shifted entirely in Beloit's favor during the second frame.
Beloit's defense clamped down, holding Blackburn to just 9 points on 9.1% shooting in the quarter. On the offensive end, the Buccaneers found their rhythm, outscoring the Beavers 20-9 in the frame. A pivotal 10-0 scoring run early in the period allowed Beloit to create separation, taking a comfortable 34-23 lead into halftime. This defensive intensity proved to be the difference-maker, building a cushion that would withstand Blackburn's late-game rally.
Hailey Johnson (South Milwaukee, Wis.) was the engine for the Buccaneers, playing a team-high 36 minutes and leading all Beloit scorers with 20 points. Johnson was aggressive getting to the rim, earning 11 trips to the free-throw line and converting eight. She also added six rebounds, four assists, and a block to her stat line.
Bailey Darneal (Colorado Springs, CO) provided crucial support, finishing with a career-high 14 points and seven rebounds. Despite a tough shooting start, Darneal hit timely shots in the second half to keep the offense moving.
The Beloit bench also played a significant role, led by Brooke Foster (Machesney Park, Ill.). In 22 minutes of action, Foster was highly efficient, shooting 5-of-8 from the field for a her own career-high of 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Amaya Bridgewater (Milwaukee, Wis.) was a force on the glass, pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds—including six on the offensive end—which helped Beloit maintain possession and score second-chance points.
Beloit's victory was defined by their ability to force mistakes and punish Blackburn for them. The Buccaneers forced 21 turnovers and converted them into 20 points, compared to just 7 points off turnovers for Blackburn.
Furthermore, Beloit controlled the interior scoring, winning the battle in the paint 36-24. This interior presence allowed them to shoot 37.3% from the field compared to Blackburn's 35.2%.
Despite trailing by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, the Beavers refused to go away quietly. Led by Eizaenirys Allende Quinones (21 points), the visitors mounted a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Beloit 27-20.
Blackburn managed to cut the deficit to five points in the final minute, but Beloit's composure at the free-throw line and their substantial lead built in the middle quarters proved too much to overcome. The Buccaneers successfully ran out the clock to seal the 75-70 win.
The Buccaneers face their first MWC foe of the season on Tuesday when they head to Grinnell, Iowa for a date with the Pioneers. Tip off from Darby Gymnasium is set for 7 pm.
