DILLON — So much for needing to shake off some rust.
Tavia Rooney scored a game-high 19 points, Mollie Peoples added 15 and the Montana Tech women pulled away late from Montana Western for a 69-57 Frontier Conference win on Saturday at Straugh Gymnasium in the first game of a two-day doubleheader against the Bulldogs.
It was the Orediggers' first game of the season after seven cancellations and a nearly two-month delay. Western had played a total of three games, including a sweep over the College of Idaho last weekend.
"We've been just chomping at the bit to get out here and play," said Tech coach Carly Sanon. "We finally got to not just play against each other, but play against another team and it was a lot of fun."
Aubrie Rademacher added 10 points for the Orediggers. Peoples accounted for five of Tech's seven 3-pointers.
Western was led by 14 points from Brynley Fitzgerald and 10 from Natali Denning. Paige Holmes added 9.
Western led 16-14 after one quarter and 26-24 at the break. Tech cut the Bulldogs' lead to one point by the end of the third quarter. The Orediggers then outscored Western 24-11 to seal the win.
"It was an absolutely great game," said Sanon. "That's just Frontier Conference women's basketball."
