Mauro hits six 3s but women's basketball falls to Mt. Mercy

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Morgan Mauro made six 3-pointers but the Simpson women's basketball team couldn't catch up with Mount Mercy in a 64-61 loss on Saturday.

Mauro and Katie Ahrenholtz scored 18 points apiece for the Storm (4-4), who took a 40-37 lead with 12:40 left in the second half but couldn't pull ahead the rest of the way.

Maruo went 6-for-7 from beyond the arc, the best 3-point percentage (85.7) by a Simpson player since 2008. She went 2-for-3 in the first half and a perfect 4-for-4 in the second.

Danielle Herdliska and Alisa Wieland scored 11 points each to lead the Mustangs (9-4).

Simpson's three-point lead in the second half didn't last long, as Herdliska answered with a game-tying three to make the score 40-40 with 12:14 left. Wieland's 3 with 10:46 left gave Mt. Mercy the lead for good.

Simpson trailed 59-53 with less than 3 minutes to play before going on a 5-0 run. Ahrenholtz knocked down a 3 with 2:46 left and Brittany Hedrick made a pair of free throws to make it 59-58 with 1:31 to play.

Herdliska drew a foul on the ensuing possession and hit both free throws to give Mt. Mercy a 61-58 lead with 1:28 left.

Simpson returns home to host Elmhurst on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.