Strong First Half Not Enough for Tartans at Washington U.

(ST. LOUIS, Mo.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team dropped an 86-66 University Athletic Association (UAA) contest at Washington University in St. Louis on Sunday afternoon. Carnegie Mellon moves to 9-15, 1-12 while Washington U. is now 18-6, 9-4.

Sophomore Katharine Higgins (Montclair, N.J.) led the Tartans with 22 points and eight rebounds. Junior Jenn Mayberger (Chesterfield, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy), playing in her hometown, scored 17 points and tied a career-best with four three-pointers. Sophomore Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) ended with 11 points while classmate Laurel Pereira (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) handed out a career-high five assists in the setback.

Natalie Orr led the Bears with 23 points and eight boards. Madeline Homoly and Kristina Schmelter each had 16 points and Stephanie Botkin chipped in with 11 of the bench.

With the Tartans trailing 9-6, back-to-back-to-back triples by Mayberger, Higgins and Filiere gave the Cardinal and Gray a 15-9 edge halfway through the first quarter. Another trey by Mayberger a minute later made the score 18-12, but the Bears scored the next 15 points and led 27-18 with 1:16 to play. Carnegie Mellon ended the stanza scoring the final five points, including Mayberger's third three-pointer with 12 seconds on the clock to cut the deficit to 27-23.

An evenly played second quarter saw Washington take its largest lead (42-36) of the frame when Orr hit a fast break jumper with 41 seconds. A foul shot by Higgins left the score at 42-37 at the break.

The Bears opened the third quarter scoring the first five points and led 47-37. Washington's lead grew to as many as 13 points on two occasions before the quarter came to close with the score 62-51. The home team outscored the Tartans 24-15 in the fourth quarter and went for the 20-point win.

Carnegie Mellon will host Case Western Reserve University on Saturday, February 24 with tip set for 2:00 p.m.