Wooster Shows Improvement Versus Ranked Tartans

Twenty-third ranked Carnegie Mellon University defeated The College of Wooster women's basketball team 69-43 on Friday, which was a farcry from last year's 81-31 loss in Pittsburgh.

Similar to last year, the Tartans clamped down in the middle quarters, but this time Wooster held a slim 18-16 lead after one.

The Scots gained momentum early on back-to-back 3-pointers from Ella Dean and Mackenzie Riccitelli to take its first lead of the game at 8-6. Sophomore Ace Sturdivant made it three-in-a-row to make it 11-8 and to force a Carnegie Mellon timeout.

Carnegie Mellon regained the lead at 12-11 before Riccitelli would score the next four points to tip the scales back in favor of the Scots. 

In the second quarter, Wooster held at 18 points for the first five minutes of the second quarter. Carnegie Mellon took advantage as Wooster failed to connect on a field goal in the second quarter and took a 36-24 lead at halftime.

Wooster got out of its slump quickly out of halftime, scoring on its first possession to embark on a 6-0 run. However, those three field goals to pull Wooster to within six would be the closest the Scots would get.

Carnegie Mellon (8-0) would score 24 unanswered, halted by a second chance putback from Kylie Parsons with six minutes remaining in the game.

Parsons, who saw action solely in the fourth, finished with season-highs of five points and five rebounds. Junior Chloe Pordash was another highlight in the fourth, scoring eight points and going 2-of-3 from range.

The first-year Riccitelli scored 15 to lead the Scots, going a perfect 8-of-8 from the foul line. Riccitelli has now scored in double figures in each of Wooster's seven games this season.

Sturdivant and Ella Biondi each followed with six points and seven rebounds.

The Tartans were led by their three-time D3hoops.com All-Region honoree, Catherine Or, who finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists.

Carnegie Mellon got it done in the paint with 40 points and outrebounded Wooster 46-38. Carnegie Mellon shot 38 percent (26-of-68) from the floor, while Wooster shot just 24 percent (14-of-58).

Wooster (2-5) will wrap up a three-game homestand on Dec. 14 when they welcome back Miami-Hamilton University to Timken Gymnasium. The Scots defeated Miami-Hamilton 111-100 in double overtime last year.