GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Swarthmore sliced a double-figure halftime deficit to one with just over five minutes to play, but Gettysburg scored eight-straight points to regain the momentum en route to a 55-47 victory in Centennial Conference women's basketball action inside Bream Gym Saturday afternoon.
Senior Caroline Murphy (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) scored 11 of her team-high 15 points in the second half to lead Gettysburg (9-5, 5-4 CC). Senior Rianna Doane (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) added a dozen points, while freshman Sara Graham (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School) contributed eight points and five rebounds off the bench.
Katie Lytle led Swarthmore (8-7, 3-6 CC) with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Elle Larsen chipped in with 10 points for the Garnet.
Gettysburg jumped out to a big lead in the first half, using a 16-2 run capped by a three-pointer by Doane to take a 24-8 lead with 6:39 to play. Swarthmore tallied the final six points of the frame to cut the deficit to 26-16 at the break.
With Murphy in foul trouble early in the second period, the Garnet took advantage behind Lytle. The reigning CC Player of the Year scored a dozen points in the final stanza, including a pair of free throws to cut the margin to one (36-35) with 6:44 to play.
That's where the deficit stood when Murphy knocked down a three-pointer from the wing to jump-start an 8-0 run. Doane added a three-pointer of her own and Murphy hit a jumper to make it 47-38 with 2:44 left to play.
Swarthmore remained aggressive, cutting the lead to five (49-44) with 49 seconds to play, but the hosts cashed in at the charity stripe to hold off the comeback. Gettysburg canned 8-of-10 free throws inside the final 1:15 to seal the victory.
Gettysburg held Swarthmore to 26.3 percent (15-of-57) shooting from the floor, including just 3-of-25 (12 percent) from beyond the arc. The Bullets also won the rebound battle 45-41 and out-scored the Garnet 15-4 in second-chance points.
Sophomore Emily Duggan (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) posted six points, nine rebounds, and five assists for Gettysburg. Senior Alyssa Isler (New Hope, Pa./New Hope-Solebury) tallied all of her seven points from the foul line, adding four assists and three steals.
Gettysburg faces McDaniel College at home on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m.