HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (20-3, 17-1 CC) established a new program record with its 10th consecutive victory on Senior Day at Gooding '84 Arena, taking down visiting McDaniel (9-14, 5-13 CC) by a final of 63-44 and reaching the 20-win mark for the third consecutive season and the fourth time in program history.
A pair of seniors helped pace the scoring for the Fords, with Anna-Sophia Capizzi adding a game-best 24 points while Megan Furch established her career-best for the second straight contest, adding 20 points. First year Cortlyn Morris took over defensively, putting her stamp on the game with eight blocks, a new career-best mark and the fourth-best single-game blocks output in program history.
After the Fords began the day's festivities by honoring the senior class of Capizzi, Furch, Maddie Gallic, and Hannah Zoll, the Green Terror proved that they wouldn't be daunted by the atmosphere, taking an early 9-5 lead behind strong play from Liv Storer. It was Storer who connected from three to put her squad up 12-11 with 2:07 remaining in the first, but Julianna Clark was in perfect position for a trey in the waning moments of the quarter, connecting to put Haverford up at 16-14 at the end of the stanza.
Josey Klingenberg knotted the contest up at 16-16, but Zoll then took a star turn, restoring the lead for Haverford at 18-16 with a layup. The Fords eventually ended the half on a 7-0 run, with Capizzi firing a three-pointer with 52 seconds left in the first half for a 27-18 advantage.
Out of the halftime gates, that run continued, reaching 12-0 as Furch drilled a jumper and Capizzi again poured in a triple, putting Haverford up 32-18 with 8:51 to go in the third. Capizzi cut to the bucket with 6:31 showing on the clock, putting Haverford up 14 at 36-22, and Clark helped turn away a Green Terror run with her three-pointer that came with just 2:44 remaining. McDaniel clawed back within 10 as Hannah Zajac added a runner, but the visitors could get no closer than double digits as a 9-0 run helped the Fords open a 19-point advantage with just 6:45 to play.
Capizzi and Furch seemingly traded big shot after big shot down the stretch, with Capizzi continuing her impressive showing from downtown while Furch played the role of enforcer down low. With Morris providing a defensive spark that limited McDaniel's chances on both the perimeter and in the paint, the Fords were able to cruise late, giving the seniors a chance to receive a deserved ovation in the final seconds as a unit of reserves entered the contest with McDaniel still searching for a late answer.
The Fords held a slight 42-37 advantage in rebounding, while the emerging story of the contest was a stifling defensive effort that held the Green Terror to just a 24.6 percent clip from the field and contributed a season-best 12 total blocks. Nyla Robinson added a standout effort, with seven rebounds and five assists. Haverford has now swept the season series with McDaniel for the second consecutive season.
Haverford's victory, coupled with a Gettysburg loss at Washington College, has given the Fords sole possession of first place in the conference. The Fords will next be in action for the regular season home finale on Wednesday, February 19. Women's Basketball takes on Hood Trophy rival Swarthmore at 6 p.m. inside Gooding '84 Arena. The contest will be followed by the Haverford men taking on the No. 1 Garnet at approximately 8 p.m.