HAVERFORD, Pa. - In a clash reminiscent of past heavyweight battles, where the victor often claimed Centennial Conference championships, the No. 25 Gettysburg College Bullets (17-3, 14-1 CC) narrowly edged past Haverford, (6-15, 3-13 CC), 61-60 in a pulse-pounding thriller at Gooding Arena. The atmosphere was electric, with a sizable and boisterous Senior Day crowd adding a flair to the intense contest.
Before the game kicked off, Haverford paid tribute to its four seniors in the Class of 2024: Erin Albright, Annabel Flint, Gia Flamini, and Ally Landau.
Landau took the spotlight with an impressive performance, leading all scorers with 22 points, including four three-pointers. Her stat line also featured nine rebounds, three blocks, and four assists. First-year Audrey Jakway showcased her skills with 13 points, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, along with eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal. Albright (4 points, 4 rebounds) and Flamini (5 points, four assists, three steals) also made significant contributions, while Siena Emuobor added eight points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
Gettysburg's Alayna Arnolie led their charge with 21 points, supported by Mackenzie Szlosek's 12 points, and Shinya Lee's game-best 11 rebounds and three blocks.
The contest was also Alumnae Day at Gooding Arena, and Haverford seemed to draw inspiration from its alums in attendance familiar with going toe-to-toe with Gettysburg in pivotal games down the stretch.
Gettysburg seemed formidable from the start, beginning the game with a 13-5 run. Despite an early eight-point deficit, Haverford rallied with Jakway's consecutive points and Emuobor's turnaround jumper, trimming the lead to just six. The game remained intense, with the Fords still confident despite trailing early.
The second quarter saw Haverford mounting a comeback, closing the gap to just two points by halftime. Landau added a three in the waning seconds, and after a turnover on the ensuing Gettysburg inbounds,, Flamini converted at the halftime buzzer to fire up the home fans, with the Fords back within just two.
The momentum continued into the third quarter, with Landau and Emuobor leading Haverford to tie the score at 43-43. However, Gettysburg responded with a burst of energy, reclaiming the lead and establishing a five-point advantage.
Flamini's three-pointer kept Haverford in contention, but a 10-0 run by Gettysburg in the fourth quarter seemingly put the game out of reach. Haverford had different plans. The Fords charged back, with Jakway connecting on a three and the lockdown defense from the host becoming a huge factor in the waning moments.
Emily Violante hit one-of-two from the stripe for Gettysburg's 61st point after Landau was forced to foul with 90 seconds left.
On the ensuing inbound, Landau knocked down a three, and Haverford called for timeout. Abby Ryan dished out a key block on an Arnolie jumper, and Gettysburg then called for timeout.
A huge shot clock violation, confirmed on video replay, gave the Fords possession with under a minute and a second-chance layup from Shae Mercer then brought the Fords back within just three with 35 seconds remaining.
Landau made a jumper with just 14 seconds remaining, and Haverford benefited from a costly over-and-back turnover from Gettysburg on the next inbound. Landau got the ball on the final possession, but saw her jumper narrowly miss as Gettysburg escaped by the narrowest of margins in the showdown.
Haverford out-rebounded the Bullets 42-39 and held them to a 36.8 percent shooting clip while shooting 38.5 percent from the field in the contest.
The Fords now gear up for their final homestand, starting with a matchup against Muhlenberg on Tuesday at 6 p.m., followed by a doubleheader as the men's team takes on the Mules at 8 p.m. inside Gooding Arena.