GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Freshman Jessica Porter (Narberth, Pa./Lower Merion) recorded her second double-double in as many days and junior Alyssa Isler (New Hope, Pa./New Hope-Solebury) turned in a game-high 21 points as Gettysburg College downed Gwynedd-Mercy College 58-52 in the finals of the 23rd Annual Days Inn Tournament inside Bream Gym Thursday evening.
Gettysburg (6-4) claimed the title at its own tournament for the third time in four seasons and for the seventh time overall. Porter was named the Sally Musselman Most Outstanding Player after posting her third double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game. The first-year forward tallied 12 points and 10 boards in the opening game against Alvernia University yesterday.
Isler was named to the Days Inn All-Tournament Team after logging 12 of her 21 points in the second half against Gwynedd-Mercy (7-4), including a perfect 10-for-10 effort from the charity stripe. She led the Bullets with 34 points during the two-day tournament.
Gwynedd-Mercy jumped out to a 7-2 advantage in the early going, but the Griffins had no answer for the hot-shooting of Porter. The freshman scored each of the team's first 13 points before a pair of free throws by junior Rianna Doane (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) set the score at 15-7 with 10:56 left in the opening half.
The visitors took their final lead of the game at 16-15 with five minutes to go, but Gettysburg answered with a 16-4 run to close the half with a 31-20 advantage.
The Bullets' lead stood at 17 (47-30) following a steal by Porter and bucket by junior Caroline Murphy (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) with 11:24 left. Gwynedd-Mercy was down but not out, however, holding the hosts without a field goal over the next nine minutes. The lead steadily dwindled with a putback by Shea Wassel pulling the Griffins to 48-42 with 3:54 on the clock.
Gwynedd-Mercy would get as close as five during the time remaining, but each time it looked like the visitors would pull within striking distance, Isler was there to draw the foul and do the work at the free-throw line. The junior guard knocked down all eight of her attempts from the charity stripe over the final 3:41.
For the seventh consecutive game, Gettysburg held its opponent below 30 percent shooting from the field as Gwynedd-Mercy finished 19-of-70 (27.1 percent) from the floor.
Junior Cori Younghans (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) grabbed eight rebounds, while sophomore Jenna Swope (Warminster, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and freshman Emily Duggan (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) each pulled down seven boards.
Natasha Matthews led Gwynedd-Mercy with 15 points and also grabbed six boards. Jordan Dominic tallied 13 points, while Shea Wassel posted seven points and nine rebounds. Wassel earned All-Tournament recognition after combining for 27 points and 28 rebounds in the two games.
In the consolation game, Salisbury (6-6) upended Alvernia (4-5) 63-56. The Sea Gulls trailed for most of the first half and early in the second period before getting a spark from All-Tournament selection Anna Hackett. Hackett posted 18 of her game-high 22 points in the second stanza as Salisbury jumped in front by as many as 11 down the final stretch.
Becca Himes added 13 points and four rebounds and Maggie King posted 11 points and four boards for Salisbury. Chelsea Ebersole led Alvernia with 13 points and six boards, while Stevie Fortna was named to the All-Tournament Team after tallying 24 points in the tournament, including eight against the Sea Gulls.
Gettysburg returns to its Centennial Conference schedule with a home date against Washington College on Saturday, Jan. 5, at 1 p.m. inside Bream Gym.
- Go Bullets -