PAINESVILLE — The No. 25-ranked University of Findlay women’s basketball team bounced back in a big way from its first loss in more than two months.
The Oilers stormed out to a 58-41 lead after a 27-11 third-quarter edge before routing Lake Erie 83-62 for a Great Midwest Athletic Conference victory Saturday.
Just two days prior, Findlay (13-2, 10-1 GMAC) saw its 12-game win streak come to an end in Pepper Pike, 80-73 at the hands of defending GMAC champ Ursuline College.
They were in a similarly tough battle against the Storm (7-6, 4-4) on Saturday, leading only 31-30 at halftime.
In a flash, the game was well in hand.
Lynsey Englebrecht (18 points) buried one of her six 3-pointers just nine seconds into the third quarter and canned another nearly two minutes later. She now leads all Division II players with 57 3-pointers and is shooting 49.6 percent on the season.
A layup by Elissa Ellerbrock (Ottawa-Glandorf) capped UF’s 10-0 run to start the frame.
Her 3-pointer 1:27 later cemented the Oilers’ a double-digit lead at 46-32 — one they wouldn’t relinquish.
Anna Hintz totaled 19 points and seven rebounds for UF.
Jenna Stegmaier (14 points) grabbed 12 rebounds to tie her personal best and made seven assists to set a new career high.
Ellerbrock added eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
Collectively, the Oilers made a season-high 13 3-pointers in 27 attempts. Kennis Mercer and Stegmaier each added a pair of triples.
The last time UF made 13 threes was in an 81-54 victory over Malone on Jan. 31 during the 2014-15 season.
GMAC leading scorer Kayla Gabor went off for 23 points and 15 rebounds, tallying 10 points and four rebounds in helping the Storm lead 18-15 after one quarter.
FINDLAY (13-2, 10-1 GMAC)
Horstman 3-8 1-2–7, Hintz 8-14 2-2–19, Englebrecht 6-16 0-0–18, Ellerbrock 3-5 1-2–8, Stegmaier 5-6 2-2–14, Molnar 1-3 0-0–3, Mercer 2-5 0-0–6, Thobe 0-3 0-0–0, Stolly 0-0 0-0–0, Fricke 1-1 0-0–2, Seger 1-1 0-0–2, Puthoff 1-2 2-2–4. TOTALS: 31-64 8-10 — 83.
LAKE ERIE (7-6, 4-4 GMAC)
Chaddock 7-13 0-0–14, Gabor 9-14 3-3–23, West 1-3 0-0–2, Sonneman 0-5 0-0–0, Dawson 2-7 3-4–7, Joseph 2-3 0-0–5, Lepore 0-0 0-0–0, Stevens 1-3 0-0–3, Christensen 0-2 0-0–0, Benner 1-6 0-0–2, Bauer 3-5 0-0–6, Tranchida 0-1 0-0–0, Barrett 0-2 0-0–0. TOTALS: 26-64 6-7 — 62.
3-Point GOALS: Findlay 13-27 (Hintz 1-1, Englebrecht 6-14, Ellerbrock 1-3, Stegmaier 2-3, Molnar 1-1, Mercer 2-5); Lake Erie 4-11 (Gabor 2-3, Joseph 1-1, Stevens 1-2, Christensen 0-1, Benner 0-4).
rebounds: Findlay 38 (Stegmaier 12); Lake Erie 34 (Gabor 15).
ASSISTS: Findlay 22 (Stegmaier 7); Lake Erie 11 (Dawson 4).
STEALS: Findlay 6 (Thobe 3); Lake Erie 6 (Dawson & Gabor 2).
BLOCKS: Findlay 1 (Hintz 1); Lake Erie 1 (Dawson 1).
TURNOVERS: Findlay 12; Lake Erie 11.
TOTAL FOULS: Findlay 9; Lake Erie 12.
FOULED OUT: None.
HALFTIME: Findlay, 31-30.