Fourth-Quarter Surge Gives Tartans Fifth Win of Season

(MARIETTA, Ohio) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team returned from the holiday break to play Bethany College at the Marietta College Jim Meagle Holiday Classic on Wednesday, December 29 for its first game since December 7. The Tartans used a strong fourth-quarter to top the Bison, 65-58. The Tartans are now 5-2 for the season while Bethany drops to 6-3.

Freshman Anisha Chintala (Austin, Texas / Westwood) led the Tartans with 16 points while sophomore Megan Matsko (Baltimore, Md. / Mount de Sales Academy) and senior Caitlyn Clendenin (Bethesda, Md. / Bethesda Chevy Chase) each scored 13 points. Matsko's point total was a career-best while she also grabbed a game and career-high 11 rebounds for her first career double-double.

Carnegie Mellon held a 37-31 halftime lead after shooting 50.0% from the floor. Matsko led the Tartans with nine first-half points after connecting on 4-of-7 attempts from the floor.

The Bison made up the deficit and took a 49-48 lead into the fourth quarter by scoring 6-of-12 attempts from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. The Bison also scored five points off five Tartan turnovers in the quarter.

The Tartans best performance came when it was needed during the fourth period as they punished the Bison by turning three turnovers into six points while losing the ball just once.

Chintala scored eight of her points in the decisive fourth frame while Matsko grabbed five of her rebounds, four on the defensive end, to help the Tartans to their fifth victory of the season.

Carnegie Mellon will next face Marietta on Thursday, December 30 at 3:00 p.m.