Tartans Drop Home Contest to Mount Union, 77-63

Tartans Drop Home Contest to Mount Union, 77-63

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team suffered a 77-63 defeat to the University of Mount Union on Tuesday, December 17 in its first game back from finals. The Tartans are now 4-4 for the season while Mount Union moves to 6-4.

Senior Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton) scored a season-high 19 points while sophomore Caityln Clendenin (Bethesda, Md. / Bethesda Chevy Chase) recorded her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Clendenin also led the team for the sixth time this season in assists with four for the game.

After Mount Union missed its first five shots, all from behind the arc, the Purple Raiders made 6-of-8 from the three-point line over the final 7:35 of the first period and held a 20-16 lead.

The Tartans rallied in the second period and took a 1-point lead with 4:21 to go after an 11-3 run to make the score 29-28. A fastbreak layup by senior Cameron Pitts (Frederick, Md. / Oakdale) off an assist by Filiere with 3:07 to go gave the Tartans a 34-31 lead before the Purple Raiders scored the final eight points of the period to hold a 39-34 halftime advantage.

Mount Union continued its run to start the third period with 12 straight points. They only hit two three-pointers for the period but connected on 8-of-11 from the free throw line to lead by 16 heading into the final frame.

A three-pointer by Filiere with just under five minutes remaining brought the Tartans to within single digits for the first time since the start of the second half. The Purple Raiders then scored five straight and held the double-digit lead the remainder of the game making 7-of-8 from the free throw line down the stetch.

Tori Rappach finished with 27 points with a season-best nine three-pointers made to lead the Purple Raiders. Elena Rauhe scored 15 points with eight coming from the free throw line and Hailey Peoples-O'Neil grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Tartans will next host Waynesburg University on Thursday, December 19 at 2:00 p.m.