NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College women's basketball team outscored nationally-ranked Mount Union in the second half but the Titans lost their first game of the season against the visiting Purple Raiders, 68-53, Tuesday night. Mount Union, which finished last year 26-4, is ranked 14th in the USA TODAY ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Titans are now 0-1 and the Purple Raiders are 1-0.
Sophomore guard Courtney Zitt (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) led the Titans with 13 points on 4-6 shooting from the floor. Junior forward Katie Hughes (Boardman, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney) came off the bench and scored 11 points to go with a game-high eight rebounds.
Four Purple Raiders scored in double figures led by Rosa LaMattina with a game-high 15 points to go with three assists and four steals. Amanda Rose also bucketed 14 points while pulling down a game-high eight rebounds.
Westminster shot just 21.7 percent (5-23) from the floor in the first half as it trailed 38-20 at halftime. The Titans then shot 60 percent (12-20) from the floor in the second half while outscoring Mount Union 33-30.
Mount Union led by as many as 21 points in the second half (45-24) before the Titans cut the deficit to eight points (49-41) with nine minutes remaining, but the Purple Raiders reestablished a comfortable cushion.
Westminster will play at Allegheny Friday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Allegheny Tip-Off Tournament.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College ranks first in the nation as "Best College for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math," according to Forbes.com. Westminster, a top-tier liberal arts college, ranks third in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster ranked 6th among liberal arts colleges in social mobility, according to the Washington Monthly College Guide, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 376 Colleges" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.
Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 42 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.
