BEREA, Ky. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology women's basketball team opened the 2025 calendar year with a 71-68 victory in their first-ever HCAC meeting with the Berea Mountaineers.

The Mountaineers jumped out to a big 13-2 lead as the Fightin' Engineers scored just one bucket in the opening four minutes of the game, but Rose-Hulman responded with a quick 10-2 run to cut the deficit back to one possession.

Rose-Hulman then opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 24-22, early in the second period. Berea would retake the lead, but another 9-2 run capped by a Sophia Reese triple helped give the Fightin' Engineers a 38-36 lead as the teams headed into the locker room.

After a back and forth third quarter, Rose-Hulman used yet another 9-2 to stretch their lead to 57-50 on an Emilia Diaz three to take their largest lead of the ball game. Berea would battle back in the final quarter and cut the lead to single digits multiple times including a big triple to cut the lead to one with just 44 seconds remaining, but Emma Schipp hit two big free throws on the other end to bring it back to a 3-point game with 16 seconds remaining and the Fightin' Engineers would hold on for the 71-68 victory.

Emma Schipp led the Fightin' Engineers with her first career double-double as she recorded career-highs of 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophia Reese added 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in the win. Jamie Baum also finished in double figures with 15 points and 8 boards.

With the win, Rose-Hulman moves to 7-5 overall and 4-1 in the HCAC. They also extend their winning streak to five, their longest since the 2018-19 season when the Fightin' Engineers won 7 consecutive games. Rose-Hulman will look extend their streak to six on Wednesday, January 8 as they travel to Cincinnati to take on the Mount St. Joseph Lions.