Gettysburg (9-4, 5-3 CC) scored its second-straight win over Muhlenberg (8-5, 6-3 CC) on its home court, but it wasn't easy as the Mules sliced a 12-point margin down to two in the final 30 seconds. The visitors came up empty on their final two possessions, while Gettysburg knocked in four free throws to clinch the win.
Junior Emily Gibbons (Annapolis, Md./Severn School) and sophomore Emma Dorshimer (Jenkintown, Pa./Jenkintown) took turns shouldering the offensive load for the Bullets. Gibbons scored 14 of her game-high 22 points in the opening half and grabbed 13 boards to notch her ninth double-double of the campaign. Dorshimer dropped in 13 points in the second half on the way to 17 for the game.
Junior Kendra Meredith (Boyds, Md./Northwest) produced a season-high 10 assists to go with six points, five rebounds, and a pair of steals, while freshman Emma Hahner(Forest Hill, Md./C. Milton Wright) came up with eight points and three blocked shots.
Brandi Vallely led Muhlenberg with 21 points, seven assists, and four steals. Maggie Zerbe grabbed 14 rebounds and Rachel Plotke produced 10 points off the bench.
The teams set a quick pace in the opening quarter as Meredith scored off the opening tip. Muhlenberg eventually grabbed the advantage and took a 19-18 lead into the second frame. Gettysburg trailed throughout the second period, but a three-pointer by Gibbons at buzzer cut the margin to 35-32.
The Bullets seized control with the first seven points of the third quarter. Gibbons hit a lay-up and Meredith knocked down a pair of free throws. Dorshimer followed up with a three-pointer to push the lead to 39-35 with 7:51 to go in the period.
Muhlenberg pulled to within one, but 11-straight points by Gettysburg led to a double-figure lead. Back-to-back passes by Meredith found their way to Dorshimer for a pair of shots from beyond the arc. Another three-pointer by freshman Kiera Cesareo (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) gave the Bullets a 53-43 lead heading into the final frame.
The Mules quickly cut the lead down to four at the start of the fourth quarter with Vallely doing most of the damage with a jumper and three-point play. The Bullets kept their cool, however, and maintained a multiple-possession lead for most of the frame.
Muhlenberg finally cut the lead down to two on a putback by Christina Manning with 30 seconds to go. The visitors had an opportunity to tie or take the lead following a turnover by the Bullets, but a turnover by the Mules with nine seconds to go ended the threat. Dorshimer knocked in a pair of free throws to boost the lead to four and following another missed shot by Muhlenberg, Gibbons polished off the win with two more freebies.
Gettysburg finished 23-of-65 (35.4 percent) from the floor, including 9-of-20 (45 percent) from beyond the arc. Muhlenberg canned 24-of-75 (32 percent) attempts. The Mules won the rebounding battle 51-47.
Gettysburg heads to Ursinus College for its third game of the week on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.
Big Third Quarter Propels Bullets Past Mules
Muhlenberg
61
Gettysburg
67
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muhlenberg (8-5, 6-3 CC) | 19 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 61 |
| Gettysburg (9-4, 5-3 CC) | 18 | 14 | 21 | 14 | 67 |
Jan 12, 2017