Franklin women's basketball looked to mix business and pleasure with a trip to warmer climates this weekend. The on-court results delivered both.

Coach Ashley Blanch's club capped a perfect run at the Puerto Rico Clasico by holding on for a 64-53 victory over Milwaukee School of Engineering on Sunday afternoon. The win was the sixth in the last seven games for the Griz (8-3).

The Grizzlies pulled ahead with an 8-0 run late in the first quarter, taking the lead for good on a three-point play by Jordan Coon at the 3:09 mark. The Raiders scored the last six points of the period to cut it to 15-14 before a pair of baskets by Coon and one by Payton Seay stretched the margin back out to seven. The Griz led by nine at the half, 30-21.

Consecutive buckets from Seay and another by Kate Breeden put Franklin up 43-26 with 5:43 left in the third, and the lead topped out at 21 points, 54-33, after a Sophia Saucerman layup with 9:17 to go in the game. MSOE scored the next nine points to get within a dozen with 4:36 remaining, and a 3-pointer with 51 seconds on the clock made it an eight point game before the Grizzlies were able to ice it at the foul line with four free throws from Briley Munchel and two from Coon.

Strong foul shooting — Franklin hit 17 of 20 — proved critical during a game that saw the Grizzlies lose the turnover and rebounding battles while shooting 40% from the floor (22 of 55) and hitting just three of 13 from behind the 3-point line.

Coon led the way for the Griz with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Molly Schulte had 11 points and five assists. Seay totaled 10 points, Munchel eight and Breeden seven.

Franklin returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 3 with an HCAC home game against Earlham.