ALLIANCE – Mount Union's women's basketball team fell to defending Ohio Athletic Conference champion Baldwin Wallace, 93-82, in the season opener Friday night at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.

The Purple Raiders were led offensively by senior Elena Rauhe (Seven Hills / Parma Padua) who sunk three three-pointers and tallied 23 total points. Senior Brianna Gassman (Minerva) and sophomore Emma Cannon (Dalton) also aided in the Raider offense by tallying 12 and 20 points respectively. Freshman Maddy Miles (Brunswick / Parma Padua) came off the bench to spark the Raider defense as she collected five rebounds and three blocks in her collegiate debut. 

The Purple Raiders came out to play with a kick start by Rauhe with a deep three. The Raiders continued to lead throughout the first period, tracking a 6-0 run in the final two minutes of the period to force the first time out of the game by the Yellow Jackets. The Raiders ended the period on a 24-17 lead. The first half remained tight as the Raiders continued to fight and never trailed by more than six, with four lead changes and two ties. Mount Union trailed the Yellow Jackets 46-39 going into halftime. 

The Yellow Jackets hit a spark late in the third quarter to go up 11 with just under two minutes left in the period to bring their lead to 60-49. Although the Raider defense remained strong collecting rebounds, the Baldwin Wallace offense could not be stopped. With 5:32 left in the game, senior Corenna Maynard (Chagrin Falls / Kenston) drew an and-one situation to bring the Raiders back to within one of the Yellow Jackets for a score of 74-73. Freshman Katie Clark (Cuyahoga Falls / Walsh Jesuit) followed that up to hit a three from the corner off a pass by Miles to tie the game at 76 apiece. The Raiders could not hold on in the end and fell to the Yellow Jackets 93-82. 

The Purple Raiders continue their back-to-back weekend with the Yellow Jackets for a game tomorrow evening, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. in Berea.