MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Thiel College women's basketball team fell 69-42 to the #21 ranked Titans of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Monday afternoon in their opening game in the HoopMIA D3 Holiday Shootout.
 
The Tomcats jumped on the Titans early as they built an 11-4 lead with 5:13 remaining in the first quarter. Thiel's surge was led by freshman Rachel Breckenridge (Burton, Ohio/Berkshire) who went 2-2 from beyond the arc during the run.
 
The Titans' hot shooting put them back out in front at the end of the first, 24-14. UW-Oshkosh connected on five three-pointers in the first.
 
Thiel kept the game within double-digits for most of the second quarter but went into the half down 11 as senior guard Alivia Sidley (Thompson, Ohio/Ledgemont) converted on a deep range three pointer to beat the buzzer.
 
UW-Oshkosh pulled away in the second half and took the non-conference matchup 69-42.
 
Senior guard Jess Vormelker (Orwell, Ohio/Grand Valley) scored a game-high 20 points in the loss well freshman forward Destiny Johnson (Baltimore, Md./Western) collected nine points and nine rebounds.
 
The Tomcats return to action on Wednesday as they face Case Western Reserve University in their second and final game of the HoopMIA D3 Holiday Shootout, tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m. Thiel will then travel back north to square off with NCAA Division I opponent Youngstown State University on Thursday at 11:00 a.m.