GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior Ashley Gehrin (Chester, N.J./West Morris Mendham) paved the way for the Bullets as she registered a career-high 26 points to help the 23rd-ranked Gettysburg College women's basketball team defeat Centennial Conference foe Franklin & Marshall College 77-66 Wednesday night inside Bream Gym.
 
The Bullets (16-3, 13-1 CC) trailed 20-18 at the end of the first quarter before pulling away in the middle two periods, when they outscored the Diplomats 46-26. Gettysburg maintained control in the final quarter as they led by nine or more points.  
 
For the second game in a row, Gehrin led the Bullets as she netted a career-high 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting overall, including going a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range, and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Meredith Brown (Landisburg, Pa./West Perry) tossed in 18 points, hitting 7-of-13 from the field, and three assists, while senior Emma Dorshimer (Jenkintown, Pa./Jenkintown) produced 14 points, four boards, and three assists. Junior Emma Hahner (Forest Hill, Md./C. Milton Wright) dished a career-high six assists and notched five rebounds.
 
Haley Pilone guided the Diplomats (10-10, 7-8 CC) with 24 points. Kristin Hamill corralled 20 points, while Kenna Williams posted a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
 
A trey by Gehrin in the first 15 seconds of the opening quarter started the 7-2 run over the next few minutes for Gettysburg. Franklin & Marshall slowly creeped its way back into the scoring column as they came within three (13-10) with 3:55 on the clock. The Diplomats then went on a scoring spree as they outscored the Bullets 10-0 to pull ahead by seven (20-13). The Orange and Blue closed the gap to two (20-18) at the end of the first after hitting five points in the last 49 seconds. Brown tallied 11 first quarter points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field.     
 
Brown continued pouring out the points as she made a layup to tie the game at 20-20 to open the second quarter. The visitors held on to the advantage until the 5:42 marker when freshman Mackenzie Tinner (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock High School North) connected on a layup to give the Bullets the 27-26 lead. A few possessions later, the Diplomats threatened by coming within one, but Gettysburg buckled down and never gave up the lead for the remainder of the quarter. A triple by Pilone with under 5 seconds left in the half cut the Bullets advantage down to three, 40-37, heading into the locker room.
 
Gehrin came out in the third quarter on fire as she erupted 12 of Gettysburg's 24 points, making 4-of-5 from the field, including knocking down two threes. The Bullets dug in defensively, holding F&M to nine points in the period. Gettysburg shot 60 percent (9-of-15) en route to taking the commanding 18-point advantage at the end of the period, 64-46.
 
A pair of free throws by freshman Tori Yantsos (Rockville, Md./Holy Child) boosted the advantaged to a game-high 20 points (66-46) with 8:57 showing in the fourth quarter. The lead did not dip below nine for the rest of the contest.
 
Gettysburg shot an outstanding season best 51.9 percent (28-of-54) from the field, hit 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) 3-pointers, and made 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) from the free throw line. Franklin & Marshall finished 20-of-56 (35.7 percent) from the floor and held the 39-31 rebound advantage.
 
Gettysburg plays at Swarthmore College on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m.