TIFFIN, Ohio—Junior forward Molly Schriber (Sidney) scored a career-high 17 points and led four players in double figures, but the Heidelberg University women's basketball team fell to No. 12 University of Mount Union (D3hoops.com), 73-67, this afternoon in an Ohio Athletic Conference game at Seiberling Gymnasium in Tiffin, Ohio. Schriber was eight-of-10 shooting and matched a game-high with six rebounds.
In addition to Schriber for the Berg (4-11, 1-7 OAC), sophomore guard Megan Miller (Tiffin/Columbian) matched a season-high 15 points and tallied five rebounds, sophomore guard Kathleen Phillips (Sandusky/St. Mary's) added 14 points and junior guard Jordan Ickes (Wooster/Triway) tallied 10 markers and five rebounds.
The Purple Raiders (14-1, 7-1 OAC) were led by Amanda Rose's 20 points. Kori Weidt had 16 points on five-of-11 shooting, including four-of-eight from three point range, and Erin Schmidt netted 11 points. Heidelberg held Mount Union leading scorer Rosa LaMattina to just four points. The win was the ninth straight for Mount Union and 10th straight in the series.
The first half featured four ties and six lead changes. Heidelberg opened the game with a 6-3 lead following jumpers by Miller, Ickes and Phillips at the 16:12 mark.
Kori Wiedt made two consecutive three-pointers in 33 seconds to give Mount Union a 9-6 lead.
The Berg then went on a 5-0 run of its own to take an 11-9 lead as freshman guard Paige Ricketts (Mineral City/Tusky Valley) canned a three-pointer with 13:56 on the clock and maintained the lead for more than three minutes before Allen made a lay-up at the 10:04 mark to give the Purple Raiders a 16-15 advantage.
Mount Union added 10-2 run, taking a 26-17 lead following a trey by Evans at 8:38.
Undaunted, Heidelberg outscored Mount Union, 14-5, over the next seven minutes and tied the game, 31-31, for the fourth time in the first half as sophomore guard Emily Giel (Burton/Burskhire) made a triple.
Two free throws and a lay-up by Rose with less than a minute to play in the opening half sent the Purple Raiders into the intermission with a 35-31 advantage.
Mount Union opened the second half with a three pointer from Erin Schmidt to take a 38-31 lead, but the Tri-Color climbed right back, going on a 13-5 run to take a 44-43 lead as Phillips canned another jumper with 16:23 on the clock. The lead, however, would be Heidelberg's last of the game.
The Purple Raiders regained the lead just seconds later and pushed their advantage to 11 points when Rose made a lay-up at the 5:52 mark for a 61-50 lead.
Heidelberg continued to claw its way back into the game, cutting the lead to 69-64 with less than a minute to play with a Miller three-pointer.
Mount Union went four-of-six from the charity stripe down the stretch to secure the victory.
Despite the loss, Heidelberg shot a season-high 45.2 percent (28-of-62) and 40.0 percent (eight-of-20) from long range, but managed just four free throws attempts.
Mount Union was 40.6 percent (26-of-64) shooting, 33.3 percent (seven-of-21) from three point range and made 10 more free throws than Heidelberg attempted. The Purple Raiders held a 39-38 rebounding advantage and committed just 11 turnovers.
The Berg will wrap up its four-game home stand Wednesday, Jan. 18 when it hosts conference foe Capital University at 7:30 p.m.