Box Score

                Valparaiso committed 29 turnovers which led to 39 Bowling Green points on Friday evening as the Crusaders dropped a 81-56 decision to the Falcons in both teams’ season opener in Bowling Green, Ohio.

                The Falcons opened the game with an 8-2 run before the Crusaders got the offense on track.  A conventional three-point play by Leah Hochstetler (Berlin, Ohio) closed Valpo within one, 12-11, at the 11:57 mark of the opening half.

                Bowling Green then extended the lead back to eight over the next four minutes.  A Whitney Farris (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo H.S.) three from the top of the key brought the Crusaders within 24-21 at the 6:55 mark, but the hosts then went on a 16-0 run to push the lead to up to 19 and took a 43-25 lead into the locker room.

                Valpo committed 15 first half turnovers leading to 21 Bowling Green points.  The Falcons also hit seven triples in the opening half on the way to building the lead.

                Bowling Green opened the second half scoring seven of the first eight points as the lead grew to 24.  Valpo got the deficit back under 20 before the Falcons pulled away again.

                “We put ourselves in a position where we were trying to match the competition’s energy level,” head coach Keith Freeman said.  “Against a good program, with secondary effort on the road we put ourselves in a bad situation.”

                Hochstetler and Aimee Litka (South Bend, Ind./Saint Joseph’s H.S.) led the Crusaders with 11 points each.  Lindsey Goldsberry led Bowling Green (1-0) with 21 poitns while Lauren Prochaska added 19 more.

                Valparaiso (0-1) will return to the hardwood on Monday evening as the Crusaders head to West Lafayette, Ind. to face Purdue.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CST with all the action carried live on www.sportsjuice.com.