Tartan Rally Falls Short in 69-66 Loss to Westminster

(WOOSTER, Ohio) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team faced Westminster College in the Nan Nichols Classic at the College of Wooster on Saturday, November 20 for its third game of the 2021-22 season. The Tartans pulled to within two points in the third quarter but eventually fell 69-66 to move to 1-2 for the year.

The Tartans had four players score in double figures with senior Caitlyn Clendenin (Bethesda, Md. / Bethesda Chevy Chase) leading the core by tying a career-high with 21 points. Senior Leah Weslock (Howell, Mich. / Howell) recorded a double-double for the first time this season with 14 points and 11 rebounds while freshman Catherine Or (Los Angeles, Calif. / Marlborough School) mirrored her effort with her first career-high double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Anisha Chintala (Austin, Texas / Westwood) scored 12.

Westminster jumped out to a 13-6 lead and held a 23-14 advantage at the end of the first period, as the Tartans shot just 37.5% from the floor but had six turnovers.

Despite the Tartans struggling from the field in the second quarter, hitting just two of 11 shots, the Titans only added to their advantage by three points thanks to a 5-for-6 showing from the free throw line by Carnegie Mellon.

The Tartans pulled the deficit to 52-48 by the end of the third quarter after hitting 64.3% from the field. Or scored seven points in the period with Weslock scoring five.

Westminster used an 11-6 run over the first three-plus minutes of the final period to push its lead to nine and the Tartans couldn't fully recover, pulling to within two with 11 seconds to play before Westminster's Camden Hergenrother hit two of four free throws in the final seconds to hold on for the win.

The Tartans will next play Spalding University on Sunday, November 21 at 2:00 p.m. in the Nan Nichols Classic.