(Swarthmore, Pa.) – The Dickinson College women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss in its Centennial Conference opener, falling at Swarthmore, 59-58. Genny Pezzola hit a pair of free throws with just three seconds on the clock to regain the lead and give the Garnet the victory on Tuesday night.
The Red Devils led early on, pulling in front, 12-6 before an 18-4 Garnet run put them in front 24-16 with 5:33 remaining. Swarthmore went into halftime with a 32-28 advantage.
Trailing 41-36, junior Lindsay Finnerty (Tenafly, N.J./Tenafly) hit a three-pointer and the lead would stay within three for both teams from the 14:16 mark. Sarah Phillips (West Amwell, N.J./South Hunterdon) came back with a three on the next possession to give the Devils a 42-41 lead.
Junior Bridget Borgese (Swarthmore, Pa./Notre Dame de Namur) stretched the lead to 45-41 with a free throw and a lay-up at the 11:53 mark.
Katie Lytle sandwiched a pair of field-goals around a Gillian Ferko (Palmerton, Pa./Marian Catholic) lay-up to put the Garnet in front, 52-51, with 5:37 remaining in regulation.
The Garnet stretched the lead to four, but Phillips answered with a three-pointer to make the score, 55-54, with just over three minutes to play. Taylor Miller (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) hit a pair of free throws and Borgese finished inside to put Dickinson up, 58-57, with eight seconds on the clock.
Pezzola missed on the other end but was fouled with just three seconds to play. She hit both and the Devils were unable to get a shot off in the final seconds as they slip to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
Phillips hit 4-of-6 three-pointers for 12 points on the night, adding a pair of rebounds and two blocked shots. Borgese tallied nine points, eight rebounds and two assists while classmate Belma Mekic (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) chipped in with 10 points.
Liz Schultz (Dunmore, Pa./Scranton Prep) and Finnerty each scored eight points while Ferko controlled a team-high nine rebounds.
The Red Devils return home to face Haverford College next Tuesday night at 7:00 pm.