LIMA, Ohio – The No. 9-ranked Indiana Tech women's basketball team opened Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) play with a resounding victory as they defeated the University of Northwestern Ohio, 70-50, Wednesday evening inside The Garage.
 
DeAnn Kauffman led the Warriors with 14 points and three assists while Rachel Bell had 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Kendall Knapke and Bella Lozano-Dobbs each chipped in 10 points with the former adding six steals, three rebounds and two blocks while the latter had four rebounds and three assists. Alexis Hill rounded out Tech's starting lineup with 10 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
 
The Warriors jumped out to a 9-2 run to begin the game and forced the Racers to call a timeout just two and a half minutes into the contest. Tech tacked on seven more points out of the timeout to extend their advantage to 16-2, but the Racers would close the quarter on a 10-2 spurt to cut the deficit to 18-12 following 10 minutes of play.
 
UNOH scored the first two baskets of the second quarter to make it a two-point game, but back-to-back layups from Bell and Hill started a 22-4 run for the reigning conference champions who ended the half leading 40-20 following a 12-0 spurt. Tech forced six turnovers over the last four minutes of the second quarter and did not allow a single shot attempt from the hosts over that time.
 
The Orange and Black continued to press down on the accelerator in the third quarter as they built a 36-point lead in the period and cruised to the 20-point win in their conference opener.
 
Tech (5-1, 1-0 WHAC) returns to action Saturday as they host Rochester College in a WHAC contest. Opening tip-off is set for 1 p.m. from the Schaefer Center.