CHESTERTOWN, Md. – The Haverford College women's basketball team secured a conference road win at Washington College on Saturday afternoon, taking a 53-52 win from the Shorewomen after the hosts came up short with a game-winning layup attempt on the final possession of regulation. Haverford improves to 5-4 on the season (3-2 CC) while Washington College falls to 3-5 (2-3 CC) in defeat.
Sierra Berkel had a game-high 18 points to go with 11 rebounds, posting her 16th career double-double and second of the 2016-17 campaign. The Fords also got 15 points from Macy Goldbach, who connected on a game-best three shots from beyond the arc. Anna-Sophia Capizzi had a career-best five rebounds while Maddie Gallic added three steals.
The contest was a seesaw battle that included 10 lead changes and 10 ties and saw neither team up by more than six points at any time.
A Gallic layup gave Haverford an early four-point lead at 12-8 before the Shorewomen fought back to cut the lead to just one at 12-11 following a Jordan Weir three at 2:59 remaining in the first period. The Fords closed the period on a 4-0 run as Amanda Quintero knocked down a pair from the free throw line and Gallic finished with a layup.
The run continued into the second quarter as Haverford jumped out to an 18-12 lead with a Katie Cook layup. Washington College used a 12-2 run to take a 24-20 lead on a pair of free throws from Cassidy Quattro but Berkel cut the lead to 24-20 with a pair of her own from the charity stripe.
Megan Furch landed a layup to tie it at 24-24 with 4:18 left in the half before the Shorewomen battled to take a 29-28 lead on an Ali Grundy jumper going into the halftime break.
In the third quarter, Haverford turned an early 35-34 deficit into a 39-35 lead as Cook buried a three-pointer and Berkel hit two free throws. The Shorewomen tied the score at 39-39 with a Grundy layup and subsequent jumper. Berkel was fouled with 30 seconds left in the quarter, and hit both of her attempts to give Haverford the 41-39 lead at the end of the period.
Bridget McLaughlin tied the score at 41-41 with a jumper on the first possession of the fourth quarter, but Haverford answered with Samantha Wetzel's first points of the night. Caitlyn Clark hit a three-pointer to give a brief lead to the hosts before Macy Goldbach knocked down a three on the other end for a 46-44 lead. Quattro tied the game for the 10th time with a score in the paint, but Berkel and Goldbach hit back-to-back shots for a four point Haverford lead at 50-46.
The Fords pushed the advantage to 53-48 after Goldbach drained one from beyond the arc, but two straight scores from Washington College made it just a one point Fords lead with 1:06 remaining in regulation. Macy Goldbach missed a three pointer with 35 seconds left, and Washington College grabbed possession on a shot clock violation.
On the final possession, the Shorewomen looked for answers on the interior, dishing the ball across the court trying to find an open look somewhere in the paint. With the wing options deteriorating and the clock down to just two seconds remaining, Emily Thiemann put up a layup, but the try deflected off the rim and into the arms of Cook as time expired, sealing the close win for Haverford.
For Washington College, Ali Grundy had 12 points while Cassidy Quattro had 10. Emily Thiemann posted a well-rounded effort with eight points and nine rebounds.
Haverford shot 35.2 percent to 34.5 percent for Washington College. Haverford scored 24 points in the paint to just 14 for the Shorewomen and induced 15 turnovers while committing just 11. The Fords have now won eight straight against Washington College dating back to the 2012-13 campaign.
Haverford has completed the 2016 portion of its schedule and will return to action on January 7, 2017 against Dickinson in Carlisle, Pa. The matchup is slated to begin at 2 p.m. and will be followed by the men's basketball team taking on the Red Devils at 4 p.m.