HAVERFORD, Pa. - Alexa Barbush scored a game-high 21 points and Kristina McCarthy tallied 16 points and nine rebounds as the Franklin & Marshall women's basketball team took down Haverford, 65-59, in Centennial Conference (CC) action on Saturday afternoon.
After beginning the season 0-2, the Diplomats (5-2, 5-0 CC) have now won five straight games and are one of just two teams, along with Muhlenberg (4-0), to remain unbeaten in CC play. The Fords drop to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the CC with the loss.
F&M led for most of the first half, jumping out to as large as a six-point lead after a Colleen Bott layup made it 17-11 with 8:24 remaining. Haverford was able to keep within striking distance and closed out the first frame on a 7-0 run over the final 1:45 to turn a five-point deficit into a 28-26 advantage heading into the halftime break.
The Diplomats and Fords went neck and neck following the intermission as the next 12 minutes featured eight ties and 10 lead changes, until Barbush gave F&M the lead for good by nailing a jumper with just over eight minutes left.
Following Barbush's jumper, F&M found the bottom of the net on three of its next four possessions to take an eight-point advantage and held off the Fords down the stretch for the win.
The duo of Barbush and McCarthy led the way for F&M as they combined for 28 of the Diplomats 39 second-half points. Barbush registered her second straight and third overall 20-point performance of the year and also added four assists and three steals while shooting 11-13 from the free throw line. McCarthy came just one rebound shy of her fourth double-double and also notched a game-high three blocks. Elizabeth Snyder also reached double figures for F&M with 10 points, including 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc.
Dominique Meeks paced the Fords with 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals, while Calla Miller tallied 13 points and grabbed seven boards in the loss.
F&M returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 20 to square off against Randolph-Macon in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Classic. Game time is set for 12:00 pm.
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL 65, HAVERFORD COLLEGE 59
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (5-2, 5-0 CC)
Alexa Barbush 5-8 11-13 21; Kristina McCarthy 5-7 6-8 16; Elizabeth Snyder
3-7 1-3 10; Allison Bauer 1-5 4-6 7; Megan Pauley 2-8 2-4 6; Colleen Bott
2-8 1-4 5; Tracy Hahn 0-0 0-0 0; Sam Plunkett 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 25-38
65.
HAVERFORD COLLEGE (6-3, 3-3 CC)
Dominique Meeks 6-13 4-6 16; Calla Miller 5-10 3-6 13; Elizabeth Lynch 5-10
1-3 12; Rachel Baskin 2-8 3-4 8; Victoria Sobocinski 3-12 2-2 8; Jacquelyne
Pizzuto 1-2 0-0 2; Shannon Smith 0-0 0-0 0; Meredith Schoyer 0-0 0-0 0;
Brianna Robbins 0-0 0-0 0; Hope Rainey 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 13-21 59.
Franklin & Marshall........... 26 39 - 65
Haverford College............. 28 31 - 59
3-point goals--Franklin & Marshall 4-8 (Elizabeth Snyder 3-4; Allison Bauer
1-3; Sam Plunkett 0-1), Haverford College 2-14 (Rachel Baskin 1-2; Elizabeth
Lynch 1-5; Victoria Sobocinski 0-5; Jacquelyne Pizzuto 0-1; Hope Rainey
0-1).
Fouled out--Franklin & Marshall-None, Haverford College-Rachel Baskin; Elizabeth Lynch.
Rebounds--Franklin & Marshall 36 (Kristina McCarthy 9), Haverford College 38 (Dominique Meeks 8).
Assists--Franklin & Marshall 16(Allison Bauer 7), Haverford College 14 (Jacquelyne Pizzuto 3; Calla Miller 3).
Total fouls--Franklin & Marshall 15, Haverford College 22.
Technical fouls--Franklin & Marshall-None, Haverford College-None.
A-123