From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Senior forward Berit Eppard (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) posted her third career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team opened the 2014-15 season with a 57-48 victory versus the University of Mount Union in the opening game of the Greg Richards Memorial Tip-Off Tournament at Allegheny College's David V. Wise Center.
The Spartans (1-0) will play in the tournament championship tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of Allegheny and Penn State Altoona. CWRU Head Coach Jennifer Reimer, in her eighth season, posted a 120-67 record as head coach at Allegheny from 2000-07.
Eppard led three in double-figures for the Spartans as senior wing Brooke Orcutt (Morrison, Colo./Dakota Ridge) and junior post Laura Mummey (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) each scored 11. Orcutt also added eight rebounds and three assists, while Mummey contributed seven rebounds and two blocks.
The Spartans limited the Purple Raiders to just 27.4% shooting from the field and held a 47-39 advantage in rebounding. Katie Reed was the lone Purple Raider in double-figures with 10 points.
The first half was tightly contested with neither side building a lead of more than three, but Mount Union went into halftime ahead, 26-25.
CWRU then came out of the locker room on a 9-0 run, grabbing a 34-26 as advantage as Eppard hit two free throws with 15:00 remaining in the game. Mount Union then rallied with a 14-6 run and tied the score at 40-40 when Annie Bova hit a pair of charity shots at the 7:28 mark. Another tie (44-44) occurred with 6:02 left to play before the Spartans went ahead for good with a 10-0 run which culminated in two free throws by Orcutt with 50 seconds remaining.
Senior point guard Amanda Germer (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) hit a key three-pointer when the Spartans trailed at 42-41, while 11 of the Spartans' last 13 points came from the free throw line.