HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (4-5) secured its fourth non-conference win of the season with a commanding 75-56 victory over Penn State Brandywine (1-8) under the lights of Gooding '84 Arena.
The opening four minutes of the game were closely contested until the Fords began to pull away, building a 10-4 lead with 6:14 remaining in the first quarter. Audrey Jakway kicked off her impressive night by scoring five of Haverford's first 10 points, including a three-pointer. Over the next three minutes, the Fords dominated with a sustained 11-0 scoring run, prompting a timeout from the Nittany Lions. During this stretch, four different Haverford players contributed, with Brianna Feifer adding five points. Both teams found their rhythm to close out the quarter, each scoring six points as the Fords entered the second quarter with a commanding 27-10 lead.
The Nittany Lions opened the second quarter with an 11-4 run, trimming the Fords' lead to 31-21 with 5:20 left in the half. Four different players contributed to the visitors' surge, including Trinell Watson, who scored four points, and Anaiyah Allen, who added a three-pointer. Penn State Brandywine continued to find their footing, matching Haverford basket-for-basket and narrowing the gap to 38-29 at halftime.
At the break, Kemp led all scorers with 13 points, while Feifer paced Haverford with 12 points. The Fords capitalized on the Nittany Lions' first-half struggles, turning 17 turnovers into 17 points.
The second half began with both teams trading baskets, as Haverford edged the visitors 11-10 in the early stages to maintain a 49-39 lead with 5:12 left in the third quarter. During this stretch, Caroline Orza found her groove, scoring five points, including a three-pointer. The Fords then broke the game wide open with a 13-1 scoring run to close out the quarter, leading 62-40. Shae Mercer fueled the surge with eight points, including two three-pointers.
Penn State Brandywine edged Haverford 6-4 at the start of the fourth quarter, with Watson and Cassidy Tolbert contributing key baskets. However, Haverford's balanced scoring kept the visitors at bay. The Nittany Lions slightly outscored the Fords 10-9 in the final minutes, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. First-year Cayla Menicola closed the door on any comeback hopes, scoring seven points in the final quarter to finish with a season-high 11 points.
The Fords had five players in double figures, with Orza leading the way with 15 points. Jakway recorded 12 points and 13 rebounds, earning her third career double-double, while Mercer added 13 points and seven rebounds. For Penn State Brandywine, Kemp posted a season-high 22 points. Haverford's ability to capitalize on turnovers was key, as they scored 31 points off 29 Nittany Lion giveaways.
Haverford will play one more game before the holiday break, hosting Gallaudet at Gooding '84 Arena on Saturday, December 14, at 3 p.m.