ALLIANCE, Ohio - The Mount Union women's basketball team fell to Ohio Athletic Conference opponent, Ohio Northern, 70-63 Saturday afternoon in Timken Gymnasium. 

The Purple Raiders (10-9, 4-8 OAC) were led by junior Elena Rauhe (Seven Hills / Padua Franciscan) with 13 points and three rebounds. Junior Brianna Gassman (Minerva), sophomore Corenna Maynard (Chagrin Falls / Kenston), and freshman Madison Hensley (Blacklick / Gahanna Lincoln) all added 11 points each. 

Emily Mescher and Abby Weeks paced the Polar Bears with 14 points a piece. 

Both teams traded baskets to start the game, 4-4, until Maynard hit a three-pointer to give Mount Union its first lead of the day 7-4. Northern rallied with a 7-0 run to grab the advantage 11-7. Rauhe brought the Raiders back within one point with a trifecta at the 2:30 mark, but Northern responded with a three-pointer of their own sparking another 7-0 run to end the quarter with the 18-10 lead. 

Hensley opened the second quarter with a three-ball igniting an 8-3 surge to bring the score back within 3 points, 21-18. The Polar Bears continued on widening their lead with a 5-3 run, but Rauhe would sink another three to bring the Raiders within two points with 2:04 remaining in the half. Both teams traded baskets to end the period, 28-26. 

Once again, the teams started the second half going back and forth. Maynard and Hensley hit back-to-back three-pointers to give Mount Union its largest advantage of the night 37-33. The Polar Bears fought back with a 10-3 surge to regain control 43-40. Gassman scored five unanswered points to put the Raiders back on top, 45-43, but Northern ended the quarter with seven straight points to lead 50-45.

The Polars Bears never trailed in the final quarter, out-scoring Mount Union 20-18 and securing the 70-63 win. 

The Raiders are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 5 traveling to New Concord, Ohio for an OAC match-up against Muskingum.