Fourth-Quarter Comeback Falls Short for Tartans

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - A hard-fought rally by the Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team came up short as the Capital University Crusaders stole a road victory in Pittsburgh Wednesday evening. The Crusaders held on for a 57-53 win to give the Tartans (5-1) their first loss of the season and even their own record at 2-2.

Freshman Kylie Huffman (California, Pa. / Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic) recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds and blocked seven shots for the Tartans. Sophomore Katharine Higgins (Montclair, N.J. / Montclair) scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds while sophomore Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton) scored 14 points and led the Tartans with three assists. Junior Jenn Mayberger (Chesterfield, Mo. / Cor Jesu Academy) picked up a career-high tying five steals.

Capital doubled its first-quarter lead when Caroline Taphorn hit a trey at the buzzer off an inbounds pass from Emily Ondo to make the score 19-13. The second quarter started with a layup and free throw by Huffman but Capital responded with a 15-0 run to take a 34-16 lead with 4:29 to play in the half.

The Tartans responded with their own double-digit run, scoring the final 12 points of the quarter to pull within six, 34-28, at the break. Mayberger and Higgins each hit three-pointers for the Tartans during the run.

A 10-4 run by the Crusaders to open the third quarter gave the visitors a 44-32 lead. The Tartans cut the deficit to eight with 1:08 to go in the quarter on a fast break layup by Filiere following her own steal but a layup by Katie Harrop with four seconds to go put the Crusaders back up by double-digits.

Higgins led a Tartan run in the fourth quarter that brought the home team all the way to one-point down with 2:50 to play. The sophomore scored the final 10 points of the 13-4 run.

A jumper in the paint by Taphorn on the next possession ended the Tartans spurt and a fast break layup by Erin Risner put the Crusaders back ahead by five with 1:31 to play.

Filiere hit two of a three-shot trip to the foul line to make it a one possession game but the Tartans couldn't equalize after a shot clock violation by Capital and were forced to foul. Regan Stonerock made one of two at the line to give the Crusaders the cushion they needed with three seconds left.

Taphorn led Capital with 19 points while Elle Folan and Stonerock each scored 11.

The Tartans will next host Washington and Jefferson College at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 5.