TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Rose-Hulman and Millikin battled down to the wire in RHIT's home opener, where the Millikin Big Blue were able to pull away with a 71-68 win.
The Fightin' Engineers got off to a hot start, opening the game on a 10-0 run. Sophomore
Katelyn Fennell knocked down her first three shots of the game, and sophomore
Reagan Lorenzen recorded a steal that led to an open fastbreak layup.
The Big Blue were able to cut into the lead after knocking down back-to-back three-pointers. The Fightin' Engineers would add a pair of layups by sophomore
Anaya Hawkins and freshman
Aubrey Barrett, which helped RHIT conclude the quarter with a 24-14 lead.
Sophomore
Julia Meyer immediately cashed a three to lead off the second quarter. The Big Blue responded with a three of their own, and they were able to cut the lead to six on a mid-range jumper.
Fennell ended the run by scoring on a two-point jump shot halfway through the quarter, and she added a layup to extend the lead back to ten. Following three consecutive baskets from Millikin, Fennell knocked down a three pointer to conclude the half with 17 points on 7-9 shooting.
Millikin closed out the quarter with a pair of layups to cut RHIT's lead to 40-35 at the half. They would then tie the game at 40 apiece following a three-pointer, before a layup by freshman
Kaia Peterson put Rose-Hulman back in the lead.
Lorenzen added another steal that led to a fastbreak layup, but Millikin responded with three straight layups. Meyer fought through contact and converted an and one layup, before a mid-range jumper from sophomore
Emma Schipp tied the game at 49.
The two teams tipped off the fourth in a 53-53 tie, and it remained a one-score game all throughout the quarter. With Rose-Hulman down by two, Fennell recorded a steal where she was fouled on the fastbreak. She stepped up to the line and swished both free throws, tying the game at 64.
Schipp added a pair of late-game layups, which kept the game tied going into the final minute of action. Millikin took a one-point lead on a free throw, and they extended the lead to three with Rose-Hulman being forced to foul. The Fightin' Engineers last second heave at the buzzer came up short, resulting in Millikin securing the 71-68 win.
Katelyn Fennell scored a game-high 19 points on 7-11 shooting. She added five rebounds and accumulated a game-high four steals.
Julia Meyer scored 13 points, where she shot 6-7 at the charity stripe. She hauled in seven rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists.
Kaia Peterson scored 12 points on 4-10 shooting in the first start of her collegiate career while recording three assists.
Emma Schipp had a near double-double with nine points and eight rebounds on 4-10 shooting.
Reagan Lorenzen added six points while recording three steals.
The Fightin' Engineers will continue the season at the WashU Tournament as Rose-Hulman takes on Elmhurst Friday, November 14, at 4 PM.
