FINDLAY, Ohio – The Wayne State University women's basketball team (5-9 overall, 2-5 GLIAC) rallied in the fourth quarter but it was not enough in falling 76-67 at the University of Findlay (8-8, 2-6 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Warriors began strong opening a 13-6 advantage just past the mid-point of the first quarter as the WSU defense limited the Oilers to just one made field goal.  Juniors Sara Ruhstorfer (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Flint Powers Catholic) and Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) each connected from long distance during the streak.
 
Over the final 14:15 of the first half, UF had a 37-21 scoring margin which included a 12-5 run to end the first period and a 12-4 spurt over the final five minutes of the second stanza.
 
The Oilers continued the offensive outburst by scoring the first 12 points after intermission to open a 55-34 lead with 5:50 left in the third quarter.
 
After making just two field goals in the last six minutes of the second period, the Warriors first bucket of the second half came on a triple by freshman Nastassja Chambers (Ypsilanti, Mich. / Arbor Prep) with 5:31 remaining in the quarter.
 
WSU did not surrender despite trailing 65-46 after three periods and held Findlay without a point for the first five minutes before a free throw by Anna Hintz.  By that point, the Warriors had scored the first seven points on back-to-back buckets by junior Shannon Wilson (W. Bloomfield, Mich. / Bloomfield Hills) and a three pointer by Ruhstorfer.
 
The Oilers led by 18 (71-53) after a triple by Lynsey Englebrecht with 3:55 remaining, but the Warriors responded with a 14-3 run including back-to-back three pointers by Wilson and sophomore Jessica Murphy (Oxford, Mich.) but that would cap the scoring for WSU.
 
TEAM STATS

Wayne State shot 43 percent (23-of-53) from the floor, including 39 percent (10-of-26) from beyond the arc.  Meanwhile, UF made 51 percent (29-of-57) of its field goal attempts despite shooting just 22 percent (4-of-18) from three-point range.  Both teams shot well from the charity stripe with WSU making 79 percent (11-of-14) and the Oilers connecting on 88 percent (14-of-16).
 
Findlay had a decisive 37-23 edge in rebounding with WSU holding a 29-10 margin in bench points.
 
LEADING THE WARRIORS
 
Chambers tallied a team-high 20 points, with Wilson adding 16 off the bench.  Senior Christina Green (Southfield, Mich. / Lathrup) grabbed a team-best five boards, while Chambers had a team-high four assists.  Sophomore Tyesha Hood (Detroit, Mich. / Mumford) contributed three blocks in nine minutes.
 
LEADING FINDLAY
 
Hintz tallied a game-high 23 points and earned a double-double with a game-best 11 rebounds.  Christa Puthoff added 20 points, while Haley Horstman chipped in with 14 points.
 
UP NEXT
 
After completing the GLIAC South Division portion of its schedule, Wayne State will begin the double round-robin portion of the GLIAC North Division slate with a home contest on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. vs. Michigan Tech.  The game will also be on Comcast/CN 900 with Sean Baligian, Joe Abramson and Tony Ortiz calling the action.