TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology women's basketball team dropped the opening round of the Midwest Challenge on Saturday. The Fightin' Engineers fell 79-65 to Illinois Wesleyan.

Illinois Wesleyan was able to take a 34-21 lead into halftime thanks to some very good defense, forcing turnover and holding Rose-Hulman to 29% shooting. 

The Fightin' Engineers got hot shooting in the second half with 44 second-half points and shooting 15-26 from the field.

Rose-Hulman also worked hard attacking the rim and got to the free throw line 33 times, making 23 of them. Their 33 free throw attempts is 12th-most in school history and 10th-most in the history of the Midwest Challenge.

Ashley Black led the Fightin' Engineers with 16 points and 3 steals, and Jamie Baum added 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

CK Gallegos-Rodriguez recorded her first-career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. She is only the third Fightin' Engineers to record a double-double in the Midwest Challenge joining Ally Bromenschenkel and Jordan Barlow.

Sophia Reese ran the point well with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Rose-Hulman will return to action tomorrow at 2 PM for the Third-Place game against the DePauw Tigers.