HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Haverford College women's basketball team fell to Washington College, 59-41, on Wednesday night at Gooding Arena in Centennial Conference action. The Fords struggled offensively early but mounted a fourth-quarter push, led by first-year guard Grace Leverton, who finished with a team-high 16 points in the contest, matching her career high.
Haverford (10-14, 4-10 CC) trailed 26-12 at halftime after a slow start, managing just four points in the second quarter as the visitors began to work towards a sizable lead. The Shorewomen (14-9, 7-6 CC) took advantage of Haverford's struggles from the field, building on a lead they would not relinquish.
Leverton played all 40 minutes and led the Fords' offense, shooting 5-of-13 from the field and converting all six of her free-throw attempts. She also knocked down two three-pointers. Shae Mercer added nine points and seven assists, while Abby Ryan had a solid all around effort as she contributed four points, six rebounds, and a team-high three steals.
Washington College controlled the interior, outscoring Haverford 36-14 in the paint on the evening. Kaitlyn Boggs led the visitors with a game-best 20 points and nine rebounds, while Abby Meredith and Maggie Lawrence each chipped in nine points.
Haverford found some rhythm in the fourth quarter, matching the Shorewomen 20-20 in the most offensive stanza. Washington College held a game-high 22-point lead with 9:20 remaining in the fourth, but Leverton and Shae Mercer sparked the late push with a Leverton three-pointer, a three-point play from Mercer and a pair of free throws from Leverton doing much of the heavy lifting as Haverford put a bow on a 9-0 run to close things down to just a 13-point WAC lead with 4:39 to go.
The Fords shot 25.5 percent (14-of-55) from the field and 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from beyond the arc. Washington College finished at 38.2 percent (21-of-55) and held a 46-32 rebounding advantage while converting 12 points off turnovers to take the victory.
The contest was Haverford's annual "Green Out" game for Mental Health Awareness in conjunction with The Hidden Opponent.
Haverford will next close out the 2024-25 season on Saturday, heading to Swarthmore for a Hood Trophy rivalry clash with the Garnet. The Fords will look to sweep the season series from their rivals and pick up a full Hood Trophy point in the process. The game is slated to begin at 1 p.m. at Tarble Pavilion.