DAYTONA BEACH, Florida—The Mount Union women's basketball team took down Simpson (Iowa) 80-54 in day one of the Daytona Beach Shootout.
 
The Purple Raiders (4-5, 0-3 OAC) was led by senior Ali Hudik (Mentor / Lake Catholic) and sophomore Elizabeth Mason (Alliance / Marlington) with 14 points each.
 
Mount Union had three more athletes in double digits in freshman Chelsea Evanich (Alliance / Marlington), senior Dae Dae Nash (Akron / Buchtel) and sophomore Reese Triplett (New Philadelphia / Tuscarawas Central Catholic) with 13, 12 and 12 respectively.
 
Simpson (5-6) was led by Haley Rasmussen with 19 points while Ella Anderson finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.  
 
Simpson started the game off with a 9-5 lead but a three from Triplett brought the game within one. The game was tied at points 14 and 17 but Mount Union finally took the lead on a Nash three at the end of the quarter leading 20-19.
 
Mount Union began the second quarter on an 11-2 run fueled by six points from Evanich and five points from Hudik. Simpson closed within four but an 8-0 run from Mount Union pushed the lead back out to 12. Mount Union extended the lead out to 13 with a 42-29 lead at the half.
 
Simpson began the half on a 10-2 run to get within five but Mount Union responded in the second half of the quarter pushing the lead out to 59-44 thanks to a 7-0 run to end the quarter with four points from Triplett and a three from Mason.
 
Mount Union got its largest lead on a jumper from Mason leading 60-44 with 8:25 remaining in the game. Simpson got within 16 three times the rest of the way, but Mount Union finished the game on a 12-2 run to take the 80-54 victory.
 
Mount Union will take on Anna Maria College tomorrow in the final day of the Shootout for the Raiders with tip off starting at 4 pm.