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Big Fourth Quarter Propels Tartans to 66-59 Road Victory Versus Rochester

Big Fourth Quarter Propels Tartans to 66-59 Road Victory Versus Rochester
Posted: Jan 18, 2019

From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics

A big fourth quarter drove the Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team to a 66-59 road win against the University of Rochester on Friday, January 18. The Tartans pick up their first University Athletic Association (UAA) win and are now 10-5 for the season. The Yellowjackets drop to 6-9 and 0-4.

Freshman Leah Weslock (Howell, Mich. / Howell) led three Tartans in double figures with 19 points. Junior Katie Higgins (Montclair, N.J. / Montclair) scored a season-high 18 points with junior Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton) contributing 14 points. The Tartans spread the ball around with 13 team assists and picked up a season-high 19 steals with Filiere leading with six. 

The Yellowjackets held a 13-10 edge at the end of the first quarter before starting the second quarter making 5-of-6 from the field to lead 25-16 with 6:11 to play in the half. The Tartans turned up the defense and forced Rochester into four turnovers while converting on the offensive end to take their first lead, 27-25, on a layup by Higgins and 3:49 to go.

Rochester returned to the court after a timeout to string together a 9-0 run before the half ended with the home team leading by five, 34-29.

The Tartans slowly chipped away at the deficit, coming within two points, 39-37, during the third quarter before trailing 44-41 at the last break.

Fourth quarter shooting was the difference for the Cardinal and Gray, as they opened the frame making 6-of-8 from the field while holding Rochester to just one bucket in four minutes of action to lead 55-47. During the run, Filiere scored seven straight after recording just three points in the first three quarters.

Rochester made it a two-point game when Jamie Boeheim scored on a layup with 4:31 to play but the Tartans quickly added to their lead with a layup by junior Laurel Pereira (Naperville, Ill. / Naperville North) and a three-pointer by Weslock on back-to-back possessions.

The Yellowjackets were led by Julianna Okoniewski's 14 points while the Tartans held Lena Ethington to 10 points, all scored in the first half.