BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (1-1) gave No. 3 NYU all it could handle in an 85-74 loss to the Violets (2-0) in the final game of the NYU Tip-Off Classic at NYU's Brooklyn Athletic Facility. The contest featured 18 ties and 16 lead changes as Haverford hung tough against a perennial national championship contender. 

In an up-and-down offensive battle, Haverford did well to adjust to a faster style of play than it is used to in the scrappy, defensive-minded Centennial Conference. Ally Landau paced all scorers with 24 points as the Fords put four scorers in double figures. Following the contest, Landau was named to the NYU Tip-Off All-Classic team after averaging 20.5 points and five assists on the weekend. Cortlyn Morris added 20 while Kayla Robinson continued her hot start to the season with 14 points and eight rebounds to go with three steals. Gia Flamini also narrowly missed a double-double effort with 11 points and eight rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Haverford frustrated NYU early, as the Fords refused to go quietly against the Elite 8 team from a season ago. The Fords sprinted out to a 5-1 run to begin things, with Flamini pouring in a layup in transition after a steal with 8:04 showing on the clock. NYU had its chance to lengthen its lead, but Haverford constantly denied any designs on a sizable lead with strong defensive pressure. A triple from Flamini tied the score at 12-12 with 3:45 left in the quarter, and Landau beat the shot-clock buzzer with a long-range three to tie the score at 17-17 with under three minutes left.

A 4-0 Haverford run gave the Fords a 22-20 lead at the end of the quarter, and Haverford extended that lead to four at 24-20. Morris hit a layup to restore a four-point advantage at 26-22, but a 6-0 run gave NYU back the lead. Jenny Walker hit a layup to give NYU a four-point advantage, and the Violets went into the intermission with the four-point cushion in a game that seemed effectively tied as both teams did well to regroup quickly and trade short runs.

Out of the gates, Haverford tied the score at 40-40 on a Robinson jumper, but NYU got its first real taste of comfort with an 8-2 run, taking a 48-42 advantage on a Belle Pellechia layup with 6:35 left in the third. Landau connected from three-point land, and Morris converted two from the charity stripe a the Fords pulled back within one with 4:47 to go in the stanza.

NYU then began to gain some separation, outscoring the Fords 19-6 over the remainder of the third quarter and into the start of the fourth period. Jenny Walker gave the hosts a 14-point lead with a layup with 7:12 remaining in regulation, and her jumper with 6:19 remaining gave the Violets the largest lead of the contest at 16.

The Fords had yet another strong spurt in them, unleashing a 15-2 run to get right back into the contest. Morris knocked down a runner, and Landau connected on a long two as Haverford suddenly found itself down just four at 72-68 with exactly three minutes remaining. Robinson made the contest just a one possession game with 2:33 to go as she connected on a layup, pulling to within two at 72-70.

NYU ultimately had a late 7-0 run to wrestle control of the contest in the final moments, as Pellecchia and Bruns knocked down layups in the stretch as the Violets survived with a six-for-six effort from the line in the final minute. 

Haverford battled its way defensively, forcing 21 turnovers from NYU and putting up 17 points off of those giveaways. The Fords hit 18-of-20 free-throws and connected on four threes.  The two sides were meeting for the first time since the 1997 season, as Haverford hosted the Violets at the Haverford College Classic just before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Women's Basketball will now return a bit closer to campus for its next contest, heading to Immaculata on Thursday, November 17 for a 6 p.m. tip-off with the Mighty Macs. Conference play will begin on Saturday, November 19 at Dickinson.

NYU Tip-Off All-Classic Team
Jordan Karmonic, Alvernia
Ally Landau, Haverford
Jenny Walker, NYU
Natalie Bruns, NYU
Belle Pellecchia, NYU (MVP)