HAVERFORD, Pa. – Sophomore Sierra Berkel's 12th career double-double helped the Haverford College women's basketball team (11-6, 6-4 CC) to a 58-50 victory over the Swarthmore College Garnet (3-15, 2-10 CC) on Wednesday night at the Gooding '84 Arena.
Berkel's 15 rebounds were a game high and career best. Sophomore Samantha Wetzel had a team-high 15 points along with seven rebounds and five blocks. Wetzel has at least five blocks in eight games this year including four of the last five. Senior Olivia Walsh reached double-digits in scoring for the seventh time in eight games with 11 points. Freshman Tori Hopkins added 12 points off the bench in the win.
Haverford started the Centennial Conference matchup with the first five points, causing Swarthmore to miss its first eight shots. Trailing by five, the Garnet registered three three-pointers, highlighted by back-to-back buckets from beyond the arc from Jessica Jowdy to take a 12-8 lead after one quarter.
In the second stanza, the Fords retook the lead and stretched their advantage to six (21-15) with a layup by junior Darby Festa as the clock ticked under two minutes. Five straight points by Jowdy got Swarthmore within one as Haverford went into halftime up 24-23.
Following a long range jumper from Swarthmore's Maggie O'Neil, an 11-3 run by Haverford pushed its cushion to nine with 2:31 to go in the third quarter. The Fords' edge slipped to three after a basket by O'Neil at the 8:01 mark of the fourth quarter. The Garnet would not get any closer. A 10-2 spurt over seven minutes of game time sent the Haverford margin to 11 with 1:47 left in the game. The Fords sank seven free throws in the final two minutes to clinch the victory.
Head coach Bobbi Morgan's team held its Hood Trophy rival to just 25 percent from the floor (17-of-68). One game after knocking down 29 free throws, the third most in a single game, the Fords hit 23 from the charity stripe. The home team also outrebounded Swarthmore, 46-42. Jowdy scored 27 of the Garnet's 50 points in the loss.
Tonight was the women's basketball team's fifth win in its last six games over Swarthmore. The Fords are right in the middle of the Centennial Conference playoff race as they trail third place Dickinson (7-4) and fourth place Gettysburg (6-4). Ursinus (6-5) and Johns Hopkins (5-5) are just one back in the loss column to Haverford. The next contest for the Fords will be on Saturday at Franklin and Marshall (1 p.m.) The men's game will follow at 3 p.m. Berkel registered a double-double (15 points and 12 rebounds) while the Fords took down F&M, 50-32 earlier this month.