Box Score BLUFFTON, Ohio—The Mount Union women's basketball team fell 69-59 to Hanover (Ind.) in the first day of the McDonalds of Bluffton Holiday Classic Friday afternoon in the Sommer Center in Bluffton, Ohio.
 
Mount Union outscored Hanover 41-29 in the first and fourth quarter but couldn't overcome the middle two quarters being outscored 40-18.
 
The Purple Raiders (5-5, 2-2 OAC) were led by freshman Elizabeth Mason (Alliance / Marlington) shooting with 17 points and five rebounds.
 
Freshman Reese Triplett (New Philadelphia / Tuscarawas Central Catholic) added 11 points while sophomore Addi Mucci (Canton / GlenOak) finished with 10 points. Junior Dae Dae Nash (Akron / Buchtel) finished with seven points and four steals.
 
Hanover (6-4, 4-0 Heartland) was led by Grace Bezold with 28 points and eight rebounds.
 
FIRST QUARTER
Hanover got the first bucket of the game but Mount Union quickly took over with Nash scoring five and Mason having four to give Mount Union a 9-4 lead. Hanover responded with a 7-2 run to tie the game up at 11 with 4:20 remaining in the quarter. The Raiders ended the quarter on a 7-3 run with Mason scoring four and Triplett scoring three to lead 18-14.
 
SECOND QUARTER
Mount Union got its largest lead of 10 with 6:32 remaining in the second quarter starting the quarter on a 10-4 run to lead 28-18. Hanover finisher the quarter on a 16-3 run to take a 34-31 lead into the halftime break.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Mason got the Raiders going in the second half with a layup to get within one, but the rest of the quarter went the way of Hanover as they outscored the Raiders 20-3 to take a 54-36 into the final quarter.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
Hanover got the first two baskets to get the quarter started grabbing its largest lead of 58-36. Mason led Mount Union on a 17-2 run scoring six points to get within seven with 3:14 left in the game. Hanover however held onto the lead taking the 69-59 victory.
 
Mount Union will play the second day of the tournament tomorrow with a 2 pm tip off against the host Bluffton.