Signature wins:
The Fords twice defeated Centennial Conference semifinalist Gettysburg. Their first win came on the road and included all five Haverford starters scoring in double figures during a 74-66 victory. Freshman Macy Goldbach scored a season-high and game-high 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor. The freshman made three three-pointers, grabbed five rebounds, blocked a shot and snagged a steal. Berkel completed her ninth career double-double, adding 16 points and 12 rebounds. Haverford nabbed its second win over the Bullets in a 68-59 overtime win. The Fords held visiting Gettysburg to just over 26 percent shooting in the second half to rally for the tie, and then completed the comeback by holding their opponents to just 1-of-8 from the field in the extra period. Samantha Wetzel scored a career-high 22 points and filled up the stat sheet with nine rebounds and six assists.
With a young team that featured two sophomores and two freshmen in the starting lineup throughout the season, Haverford also won seven times on its home floor. The Fords were victorious in four of their final five home contests, including the aforementioned overtime win against Gettysburg. The only loss during that stretch was an overtime defeat at the hands of conference runner-up McDaniel. Defending their home floor inside the Gooding '84 Arena ultimately propelled the team to its fifth straight postseason appearance.
Season notes:
The Fords finished the season with 15 wins … The team reached the Centennial Conference Tournament for a program record fifth consecutive season … Haverford ranked fifth in the nation in opponents' field goal percentage (30.9%), 10th in opponents' points per game (50.5), 21st in fewest fouls (354), 46th in defensive rebounds per game (30), and 54th in blocked shots per game (4.5) … Haverford's lone senior, Olivia Walsh, finished her career with a three-point field goal percentage of .340 (second in program history) … The senior finished seventh in school history in free throw percentage (69.6%) … Berkel, a sophomore, had seven double-doubles … Samantha Wetzel blocked 73 shots, a new single season program record … The sophomore finished third in the conference and 25th in the nation in blocks per game (2.8).
Awards:
All-Centennial Conference: Sierra Berkel (second team), Samantha Wetzel (honorable mention)
Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll: Emily Anderson, Sierra Berkel, Clio Bodie, Darby Festa, Olivia Walsh, Samantha Wetzel
Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team: Clio Bodie
Vassar Invitational MVP: Sierra Berkel
Looking ahead:
Haverford will return four of its five starters and its entire bench as the team rostered only one graduating senior in Walsh. The team's leading scorer, Berkel (11.1 ppg), and third-leading scorer, Wetzel (9.5 ppg), will look to head the offense in their junior years. Goldbach, Cook, and Hopkins will hope to build off their impressive freshman seasons. The experience gained by this youthful roster should show as the Fords will vie for their sixth postseason appearance in as many seasons.