Clutch Foul Shooting Lifts Women’s Basketball Over Wittenberg University

Dec. 28 – (SPRINGFIELD, Ohio) – The Carnegie Mellon University women’s basketball team traveled to Springfield, Ohio Friday, December 28 to compete in the 2007 Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic hosted by Wittenberg University. In the opening round of the classic the Tartans came away with a 78-74 over the Tigers of Wittenberg. The win moves the Tartans record to 6-3, as the Tigers drop to 2-4.

Carnegie Mellon junior forward Rachelle Roll’s (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) and-one at the twelve minute mark of the first half started a 16-4 run for the Tartans. The Cardinal and Gray took their largest lead of the frame, 24-15, with 7:14 to play, but would see the nine point advantage evaporate. The Tigers cut the Tartan lead to 24-20 not before Junior guard Corey Innes (Commerce, Mich./Lakeland) drilled back-to-back treys giving Carnegie Mellon a 30-22 lead with 4:32 showing on the clock.

Wittenberg did not fade ending the half on a 15-5 run taking a 37-35 into the locker room. During the Tigers run junior Kristin Donawerth accounted for eight points including two three-pointers.

The Tigers jumped out to an early 46-40 lead in the second half before Carnegie Mellon started the first of many runs of the stanza. The Tartans scored 12 unanswered points taking a 52-46 lead with 14:10 on the clock. Wittenberg answered Carnegie Mellon’s run with an 11-2 of their own over the next 4:15 taking the lead back at 57-54. The Tigers didn’t hold the lead for long as the Tartans put together yet another impressive run, this time a 12-2 one, taking the lead for good 66-59.

Over the last eight minutes of play Carnegie Mellon was 18-of-22 from the charity stripe and finished the game 22-of-28. Junior guard Stacie Aleski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led the Tartans with 18 points including an 8-of-8 performance from the line, 4-of-4 in the final minute. Three other Tartans scored in double figures, as senior Leah Feola (Pittsburgh, Pa./Canevin Catholic) finished with a season-high 15 points. Innes tied a career-best with 14 points and junior post player Ashley Rothwell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Alvernia) cashed in with 10 going 6-of-8 from the line. Feola led all players on the glass hauling in nine rebounds and Rothwell finished with seven.

The Tartans will face John Carroll in the championship game of the 2007 Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic Saturday. Tip is slated for 5:30 p.m. John Carroll defeated Manchester 72-61.