HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's basketball team withstood a challenge from visiting Dickinson on Saturday afternoon, prevailing 65-57 in a tense, back-and-forth affair that captivated the large and supportive crowd on hand at Gooding '84 Arena. Haverford was paced by Sierra Berkel, as the junior tied a career-best with 20 points.
Macy Goldbach poured in 14 while Samantha Wetzel added 10 for Haverford. The Fords shot 51 percent from the field, the ninth best effort in program history and the best shooting performance since a matchup with Dickinson in November of 2014 (.537).
Haverford improves to 13-5 (0-3 CC) while Dickinson falls to 12-6 (9-4 CC) after the season series sweep.
The Fords took an early 5-0 lead that was quickly matched by Dickinson. Haverford extended the lead to five at 11-7 with a Goldbach layup but Lauren McBride followed with a three-pointer of her own to cut the lead to 11-10. Anna-Sophia Capizzi extended the Haverford lead to 14-10 but Dickinson had an answer, cutting the lead to just one at 16-15 with 53 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Red Devils started the second quarter on a 7-0 run, which was punctuated by a pair of Kassidy Lesher conversions from the field. Berkel ended the run with a layup, but Helen Roberts drilled a three to extend the lead to 25-18 in favor of Dickinson. Goldbach hit the second of her career-high four threes to bring Haverford to within 25-21, but Roberts answered on the other end for a seven point Dickinson lead. Mary Martin hit a jumper with 2:40 left in the half to give Dickinson a nine point cushion, but Haverford went to work from there, cutting the lead to three as Megan Furch and Wetzel combined for a six point swing. Haverford headed into the locker room trailing by just three points thanks to the spurt.
The third quarter saw Haverford fall behind 35-31 after MacKenzie Skerritt hit a three-pointer. Berkel sank a layup ahead of a Goldbach three that gave Haverford a one point advantage. Furch scored to put Haverford up three, but a 4-0 Dickinson run restored the advantage for the Red Devils. The teams traded buckets until Capizzi hit a trey and Maddie Gallic and Katie Cook each hit free throws for a five point Fords lead.
Dickinson, as was the case all contest rallied back to tie the score at 47-47 with 9:02 left in regulation. Goldbach's fourth three of the contest came with 5:19 left and put Haverford up two. Cook followed a Dickinson turnover with a three-pointer at 3:31 remaining in regulation for a five point Haverford lead.
Wetzel then beat the buzzer off a direct inbounds pass from Cook, as Haverford scored just ahead of the shot clock for a seven point advantage. Berkel hit a layup to push the lead to 63-55 with 1:34 remaining in regulation as Haverford was able to close out a momentous win at the free throw line, taking over sole possession of first place in the Centennial.
The contest featured four ties and eight lead changes, with the Fords wrestling control in the final stanza. McBride paced Dickinson with 13 points while Martin added 10 of her own.