HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (7-16, 4-14 CC) endured a hard-fought battle against visiting Franklin & Marshall (10-12, 5-12 CC) in the 2024 home finale inside Gooding Arena on Thursday evening. The Diplomats clinched the victory in overtime, prevailing over the Fords with a final score of 55-53 in a marathon that featured 24 ties and 16 lead changes.
Shae Mercer contributed to the Haverford effort with her first career double-double, tallying 14 points and a career-best 16 rebounds. Ally Landau added 18 points and five rebounds, while Jaclyn Feit led the scoring for Franklin & Marshall with 19 points and nine rebounds in 39 minutes. Lizzie Neville chipped in with 17 points and seven rebounds, and Ally Trebelev recorded 11 points and eight boards.
The Fords started strong with a 7-4 spurt, highlighted by Landau's three-pointer at the 7:36 mark. Franklin & Marshall responded, tying the score at 11-11. However, consecutive points from Siena Emuobor, a jumper from Flamini, and another clutch bucket from Emuobor gave the Fords a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter at 18-11. The momentum continued into the second quarter with a 9-0 run, including a jumper from Mercer. A 5-0 Diplomats spurt tightened the game, but Mercer's four points helped the Fords maintain a slim lead at halftime at 24-23.
Both teams struggled offensively in the third quarter, with an 8-2 Franklin & Marshall run putting the visitors up by three. Mercer's jumper closed the gap, and the Fords entered the final period trailing by just one.
Brianna Feifer's layup at the start of the fourth quarter restored the Haverford lead, and the teams traded points until Landau's momentous three-pointer with 6:09 left. The game remained tight down the stretch, with Landau eventually putting the Fords ahead 45-43. However, free throws from Trebelev and Kayla McCrea tied the score at 45-45 with under 90 seconds remaining. Landau notched a go-ahead jumper with 11 seconds left, but after an F&M timeout, a play was drawn up to find Lizzie Neville under the basket, as Neville calmly converted to tie the score at 47-47.
With a 30 second timeout to regroup, Haverford drew up a play for Landau, but Landau's runner rimmed out, sending the game into a bonus period, Haverford's first overtime game of the season.
In the extra frame, Neville went to work to restore the F&M lead at 49-47, but Feifer added a pair from the stripe. Neville responded on the other end, and after a Haverford turnover, a huge defensive stop for the Fords put the ball back into the hands of Mercer who tied the scorer at 51-51 with her jumper. Trebelev then missed from three-point land on the other end, and Landau gave Haverford the lead with a jumper that came with 1:21 to play.
After an F&M miss, Haverford grabbed the ensuing rebound but a turnover gave the ball back to the Diplomats in the waning seconds. Haverford fouled Neville, who added one of two from the free-throw line. On Neville's unsuccessful second attempt, Feit was credited with an offensive rebound, and the Diplomats called for a quick timeout. The ensuing play found Neville yet again, as she sank a jumper to put her side ahead in the closing seconds, also heading to the free-throw line to complete a three-point play.
The Fords called for another timeout, but their final offensive possession went fruitless as the Diplomats were able to escape Gooding Arena with the overtime victory.
The Diplomats had an advantage with 31 free-throw attempts compared to the Fords' six. Although both teams struggled from long distance, Haverford shot 34.8 percent from the field. Rebounds were even at 45-45 on the night.
Haverford now faces two road games to conclude the regular season, starting with Hood Trophy rival Swarthmore on Wednesday, February 14, at 6 p.m. inside Tarble Pavilion, with an opportunity to sweep the season series from the Garnet.