MEDFORD, Mass.- The Haverford College women's basketball team (22-6) posted a resounding 80-37 victory over Rosemont (24-4) in an NCAA First Round contest at Cousens Gymnasium on the campus of Tufts on Friday evening. The Fords now advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history, joining the 2013-14 squad as Haverford teams to reach the round of 32. The Fords snapped Rosemont's 19-game winning streak and held the Ravens to their lowest point total and field goal percentage of the season in the triumph.
Haverford had four scorers in double figures, as Megan Furch poured in 14 points and added seven rebounds. Maddie Gallic notched her first career double-double adding 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Anna-Sophia Capizzi connected on three treys and finished with 13 total points. First year Caroline Andersen, playing just 11 miles from her hometown of Wilmington, Massachusetts, added a career-high 14 points and four rebounds off the bench in the 43-point victory.
Haverford knocked down 10 treys in total and connected on 46.2 percent of its shots. A stifling defense effort caused 21 turnovers and held Rosemont without a three-pointer (0-9).
Katie Cook opened the three-point barrage just over two minutes into the contest, and Capizzi knocked down her first from beyond the arc for an 11-6 advantage with 5:38 to go. Julianna Clark then connected from distance to extend the lead to 18-6 heading into the first media timeout. Haverford held a 10-5 advantage on the glass, including three offensive boards in the first six minutes. The Fords eventually took a 14-point lead at the end of the first 10 minutes.
After a 4-0 Rosemont stretch to begin the second quarter, Furch drained a free-throw jumper to increase the Haverford lead to 22-10 with under eight minutes to go in the half. Furch replicated the feat with 7:03 to go, as Haverford regained a 14-point cushion. With 6:23 to go in the half, Macy Goldbach connected on a three, stretching the Haverford advantage to 27-12. Goldbach followed with another triple on the ensuing Haverford possession, prompting a Rosemont timeout with the Fords holding on to an 18-point advantage with 5:52 remaining.
Andersen later found the bucket with under three minutes remaining in the half, and Gallic added a pair of layups in the final 90 seconds as the Fords held an 18-point lead at 38-20 entering the intermission.
Katie Cook found Furch down low for a layup, picking up one of her five assists as Furch connected in the first seconds of the half. Furch was fouled and completed the three-point play for a 41-20 advantage. Ultimately, the run reached 24-2 as the Fords began to run away with the contest in the third quarter. Despite growing a sizable cushion on the offensive end, the Fords defensive intensity persisted, as Haverford held Rosemont without a field goal in the stanza (0-14).
Hannah Zoll connected on a trey as the lead reached 40 in the closing minute of the third quarter. Haverford was able to cruise from that point, with the final score reflecting the largest lead of the contest as first year Lauren Howard connected from three-point range in the final minute of action.
Every player to see the court for Haverford scored, as Cook and Julianna Clark each dished out a game-best five assists. For Rosemont, Shawn Dowd led the way with 15 points while Angel Ricks added eight off the bench. Ashley Murray, the CSAC Player of the Year, was held to just six points. Murray collected 11 rebounds.
Haverford now advances to the NCAA Second Round, where the winner of the NCAA First Round game where host and No. 4 Tufts awaits. Tip-off for the contest is slated for 5 p.m.
