DEFIANCE, Ohio – A dominant second quarter turned a close game into a rout as Lawrence Tech rolled past Defiance College 79-45 on Saturday afternoon at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

Leading 18-12 after one, the Blue Devils broke the game open with a 22-2 advantage in the second quarter, seizing control with relentless defense and timely perimeter shooting. Lawrence Tech outscored Defiance 40-14 in the first half and never allowed the hosts to recover, building the lead to as many as 37 points in the fourth quarter.

Sydney Garon paced Lawrence Tech with 15 points, four rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes, knocking down three 3-pointers and helping set the tone on both ends. LaChelle Moreland-Jones added 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and a game-high five steals, including a first-quarter steal that she turned into a fastbreak layup to give the visitors a 15-7 lead. Kate Jacobs delivered a double-double with 12 points and a team-best 14 rebounds to anchor the Blue Devils in the paint.

Key plays at the end of quarters helped Lawrence Tech steadily extend the margin. Ella Haupert drilled a 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer to make it 18-12, and the Blue Devils carried that momentum into the second. Garon opened the frame with an early 3-pointer for a 21-12 lead, and later in the quarter, Paetyn Miller connected from deep as part of a prolonged Lawrence Tech run that pushed the advantage into double digits for good. Jacobs then capped the half with a tip-in at the buzzer, stretching the cushion to 40-14 at the break.

The defensive pressure was the difference. Lawrence Tech forced 33 Defiance turnovers and turned them into transition opportunities, piling up 17 steals as a team while committing just 10 turnovers. The Blue Devils also controlled the glass with 41 rebounds, including 19 on the offensive end, which helped offset a 35.4 percent shooting afternoon (28-for-79) and create a steady stream of second-chance points.

Lawrence Tech continued to knock down perimeter shots in the second half to keep the margin comfortable. Liv Linden opened the third-quarter scoring for the Blue Devils with a 3-pointer for a 43-14 lead, and Garon later added another triple to make it 46-20. Late in the third, Abby Rey connected from long range to push the advantage to 53-28. In the fourth quarter, Miller's 3-pointer with 2:57 remaining made it 75-38, and Rey's final 3-pointer with 48 seconds left capped Lawrence Tech's scoring at 79-42 before the game finished 79-45.

Lawrence Tech finished 10-of-32 from beyond the arc and 13-of-19 at the free-throw line. Defiance shot 37.5 percent from the field (15-for-40) and 3-of-8 from 3-point range but struggled to sustain offense due to turnovers. The Yellow Jackets were led by Kayla Houston, who scored a game-high 23 points with five rebounds and two 3-pointers. Jourdyn Wynn added a double-double for Defiance with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blue Devils turn their attention back to Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play next week, returning to Southfield, Michigan, for a WHAC matchup against the University of Michigan-Dearborn on Jan. 21.