BALTIMORE, Md. - The Haverford College women's basketball team returned to action after the holiday break to close out the 2024 portion of the campaign with an exhibition matchup against Division I Loyola-Maryland at the Reitz Arena in Baltimore. The Fords ultimately fell by a final score of 82-38. The contest will go down as an exhibition for the visitors, while counting to the record of the Greyhounds.
Haverford was hampered by early shooting woes and turnovers against the Greyhounds' stringent defense, committing 19 turnovers over the course of the game. Brianna Feifer provided a bright spot for the Fords with a team-best 11 points, including three three-pointers, while Shae Mercer and Audrey Jakway added eight points each. Feifer chipped in a team-best six rebounds. However, the Fords could not overcome a 30 percent shooting night from the field, and struggled on the boards, being outrebounded by the hosts 44-21.
Haverford fought valiantly against a tough Loyola squad, showing moments of resilience despite the challenges posed by the Greyhounds' Division I experience. While Loyola capitalized on turnovers to score 19 points and controlled the paint with 40 points on the interior, Haverford continued to battle with determination.
The Greyhounds' 27 assists and 52.3 percent shooting clip reflected their polished play thus far in the 2024-25 non-conference, but Haverford's effort and grit remained evident throughout the game.
The Fords showed some real resilience in the second half, doubling their scoring output from the first two quarters. Caroline Orza added six points and three steals as Haverford attempted to disrupt Loyola's rhythm defensively, notching eight steals as a team as the Fords began to find a rhythm in the waning moments.
Haverford will take away valuable experience from competing against a Division I opponent, looking to work on refining their offensive execution and limiting turnovers. With a 5-5 overall record, the Fords return to regular season play seeking to apply the lessons learned from this challenging matchup in Baltimore.
Next up, Haverford will continue a busy week with a contest at Penn State Abington on January 2 (2 p.m.) before heading down to Christopher Newport, the 11th-ranked team in the nation, for a matinee on Sunday, January 5 in Newport News, Va. Tip-off for that contest is also slated for 2 p.m.