PHOTOS

FRANKLIN, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology women's basketball team fell in the opening round of the HCAC Tournament on Sunday with a 73-69 loss to Franklin.

Rose-Hulman came out on fire early to build a 21-16 lead, but Franklin hit a pair of triples to end the quarter and take a 1-point lead at the end of one.

Franklin would continue the run in the second half at 12-1 to take a 6-point lead, but the Fightin' Engineers would continue to battle and bring it to halftime down 37-34.

The Grizzlies were able to hold the lead for the whole third quarter, but Rose-Hulman would start the fourth quarter on a 14-4 run to take a five point lead with 3:30 to go.

The teams would trade bucket back and forth, but the Grizzlies would hit three straight triples to go on a 9-2 run in 1:11 to take the lead with 34 seconds to go. Franklin would hold on for the 73-69 win after outscoring Rose-Hulman 11-2 in the final two minutes of the game.

Jamie Baum led the team with 22 points, 16 of which came in the second half. It is Baum's fifth 20+ point game in the last six. She also added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals.

Ashley Black added 18 points, and Grace Roland tallied15 points and 8 boards.

CK Gallegos-Rodriguez led the Rose-Hulman defense with a career-high 6 steals which ranks as the 5th most steals in a game in program history.

Rose-Hulman finishes the season at 12-14 overall and 9-9 in the HCAC. The 12 wins and 9 HCAC wins are tied for the most in a single-season in five years since the 2018-19 season.