TIFFIN, Ohio - The Mount Union women's basketball team fell to Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Heidelberg 64-60 Saturday afternoon at Seiberling Gymnasium. 

The Purple Raiders (6-5, 0-4 OAC) were led by junior Brianna Gassman (Minerva) with 14 points and two steals. 

Maddy Crawford lead the Student Princes (5-6, 1-3 OAC) with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Heidelberg scored the first three-points of the game, but Mount Union bounced back with three unanswered lay-ups from Gassman to take the lead 6-3. The Student Princes retaliated with a 6-2 surge to reclaim the lead 9-8. Back-to-back three-pointers from senior Zanny Sauter (Avon) put the Raiders back on top, 14-9. Heidelberg ended the first quarter with a 8-6 run, cutting Mount Union's lead back 20-17. 

Sophomore Hailey Peoples-O'Neil (Geneva) widened Mount Union's lead 24-17 with two lay-ups to start the second quarter. The Mount Union defense held the Student Princes to just six points, heading into halftime with a 35-23 lead. 

Junior Elena Rauhe (Seven Hills / Padua Franciscan) quickly stretched the Raider's advantage to 37-23 with a lay-up at the 9:35 mark in the third quarter. Heidelberg fought back going on a 8-4 run cutting Mount Union's lead down to 10 points, 41-31. Both teams continued to trade baskets keeping the margin at 10 to start the fourth quarter. 

Heidelberg opened the fourth quarter with 10-0 surge tying the game up at 50. A lay-up from Gassman at the 5:43 mark gave Mount Union the advantage, but a Heidelberg answered with a three-pointer giving them their first lead of the second half, 53-52. Rauhe responded with a trifecta of her own putting the Raiders back on top, 55-53. The Raiders extended their lead to 60-53, but another 10-0 run from the Student Princes put Mount Union down three, 63-60, with 45 seconds remaining in the game. Heidelberg finished hitting one last foul shot, securing the win 64-60.

Mount Union continues OAC play hosting Baldwin Wallace Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.