Tartans Drop Contest to #13 Mount Union

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team fell to No. 13 University of Mount Union, 74-54, Saturday in its second game of the DoubleTree Classic. The Tartans are now 1-1 on the season as the Purple Raiders are 3-0.

Mount Union pulled out to its biggest lead of the first half 26-16 with 8:09 remaining. The Tartans put together a nine-point run to pull their deficit to only one point. Freshman guard Gabrielle West (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) and junior Emily Peel (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) scored five points and four points, respectively during the run. West finished the game with 10 points.

Peel led the way on the score sheet for Carnegie Mellon tallying 21 points, tying her career-high for the second straight day. The forward was 9-for-14 from the field and added seven rebounds. Peel was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts.

The Purple Raiders countered the Carnegie Mellon run with a 12-0 stretch. Leading the way for Mount Union was Kori Wieldt scoring eight of the 12 points with two three-pointers and a jump shot. West drove through the lane and made a tough layup as time expired to narrow the Purple Raiders' lead to 11 at the break.

Wieldt led the way for Mount Union with 23 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Her performance earned her the honor of the tournament's most valuable player.

The other Mount Union player named to the all-tournament team was guard Rosa LaMattina. She was 7-for-11 from the field for 18 points in the win. LaMattina also pulled down four rebounds and tallied three assists.

An eight-point run in the first five minutes of the second half, propelled the nationally-ranked Purple Raiders to a 19-point lead.

The Tartans would come storming back for a final run at Mount Union. Carnegie Mellon freshman MacKenzie Boyd (Plano, Texas/Plano West) hit a three-pointer with just over 11 minutes remaining to narrow the deficit to nine points. The Purple Raiders would pull away in the remaining time to come to their 20-point victory.

The Tartans return to action Tuesday, November 22 when they head to Grove City for a 5:00 p.m. tip.