WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Haverford College women's basketball team limited McDaniel College to just two points over the final four minutes of action to capture its second consecutive Centennial Conference victory as the Fords outlasted the host Green Terror, 50-46, on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 37-35 with 11:36 to go in the contest, Haverford (13-7, 10-6 CC) turned up the defensive intensity and held McDaniel (9-12, 6-10) to just one point over the next five and a half minutes. The Fords shared the ball on the offensive end during that same stretch as four different players contributed to an 11-1 run. Victoria Sobocinski capped the surge with a three-pointer from the top of the key to push Haverford ahead, 46-38, with 7:33 on the clock.
After the Green Terror pulled within two, 46-44, at the four-minute mark, the Fords' defense stepped up once more and held McDaniel to just one additional bucket the rest of the way. Rachel Baskin converted a tough baseline drive at 2:30 to give Haverford a four-point advantage before Shelby Taylor's jumper once again brought the Green Terror to within two. The Fords calmly went back to work on the offensive end after a timeout and Dominique Meeks restored the four-point cushion, 50-46, with a strong move on the block with two minutes left in the game. McDaniel looked to answer right back in the form of leading-scorer Steph Perez but Haverford stood tall as the defense swarmed and forced Perez into a difficult driving layup that was off the mark. An impressive effort by the Fords' trademark defense accounted for the Green Terror going 0-for-6 from the floor in the waning minutes as Haverford frustrated Perez and company into contested offerings that came up empty.
McDaniel opened the scoring on the day with a jumper from Emma Wingerd but the Fords took over from there are they scored 15 of the next 19 points of the ball game to go ahead 15-6 on an Elizabeth Lynch three-pointer at 12:48. Rachael Rybak's jumper at the eight-minute mark brought the Green Terror within four, but Haverford closed the half on a 12-5 run to go ahead 31-20 at the break.
The Fords shot 50 percent from the field (13-for-26) in the initial 20 minutes and received 14 points from the bench. Also playing a big part was Haverford's defense, especially in the final eight minutes of the half, as it forced six turnovers to limit McDaniel's attempts from the field to a mere six.
Meeks finished with 11 points and seven rebounds and Voith chipped in with 10 off the bench. Leading the way on the glass was Lynch with nine to go along with her six points on the afternoon. Jacquelyne Pizzuto dished out seven of the Fords' 15 assists to give the sophomore point guard 17 assists in her last two outings.
Rybak was the Green Terror's lone double-digit scorer with a game-high 18 while Wingerd and Codi McMaster each grabbed six rebounds.
Reaching double figures in conference victories for the second straight year, Haverford has now won six straight over McDaniel.
Currently residing in fourth place in the conference standings, the Fords aim for their third consecutive Centennial victory when they take the short trip to Bryn Mawr College on Monday. The match-up against the Owls begins at 6 p.m.