GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior Christina Richson (Summit, N.J./Summit) scored a game-high 20 points, and the Gettysburg College women's basketball team snapped fifth-ranked Messiah University's 29-game winning streak to grab the 65-55 victory in the home opener on Tuesday night.

Gettysburg's Top Performers

• Christina Richson '22: 20 Points, 6-11 3FGM-A, 3 Steals, 2 Assists
• Mackenzie Szlosek '25 (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East): 11 Points, 9 Rebounds, 4 Assists
• Mackenzie Tinner '22 (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North): 10 Points, 9 Rebounds
• Delaney Donohoe '25 (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge): 6 Rebounds
  

Messiah's Top Performers

• Reese Harden: 14 Points, 2 Assists
• Leah Springer: 11 Points, 10 Rebounds, 3 Steals

Game Summary

• First Quarter: The Bullets opened the game with an 11-2 run as Szlosek and Tinner scored four points apiece. A pair of made free throws by Megan Zimmerman rattled the Falcons to a 16-6 run to close the quarter. They shot a quarter-best 46.2 percent and held the one-point edge heading into the second period.
• Second Quarter: Donohoe tied the game at 18-18 32 seconds into the second quarter as she drained a free throw. A jumper by Reese Harden pushed the lead back to Messiah until sophomore Caitlyn Priore's (Holland, Pa./Germantown Academy) lay-up started a 6-0 run to put Gettysburg ahead 25-24 with 4:48 remaining. The scoring margin would be no bigger than four points for the remainder of the quarter as the two teams continued to trade leads. Hardan sank a pair of free throws, and Szlosek did as well, but the Bullets trailed 36-35 at intermission.
• Third Quarter: The Bullets came alive on the offensive end as they outscored 19-10 en route to shooting a quarter-best 53.3 percent and held the Falcons to 21.1 percent from the field. Richson rolled into the second half by drilling a three-pointer, but Megan Zimmerman scored three consecutive points to help Messiah with a 7-4 run to lead 43-42 midway through. Sophomore Hannah Sauve (Enola, Pa./Cumberland Valley) then notched a shot from downtown to start a 12-3 run for the Orange and Blue to lead 54-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
• Fourth Quarter: Gettysburg never gave up the lead and was ahead by nine or more points for the rest of the game. The Bullets took a game-high 15-point advantage off a three-pointer by senior Carly Rice (Pennington, N.J./The Pennington School) with 2:18 to go, and Gettysburg secured its second victory on the season.

By the Numbers

• Tonight marked the highest nationally-ranked win since Gettysburg defeated No. 4 the University of Scranton during the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 1995 by the final score of 73-65.
• Gettysburg finished 22-of-52 (42.3 percent) from the floor, while Hiram finished 19-of-68 (27.9 percent).
• The Bullets held the 47-36 advantage in rebounds.
• There were 14 lead changes and four ties in the game.
• Tonight's game marked the first time the Bullets played inside Bream Gym since Feb. 22, 2020, when they hosted Centennial Conference opponent Muhlenberg College.
• Richson posted a career-high 20 points. Her previous high was 15 that she accomplished twice – once against Haverford College and the other against Washington College during the 2019-2020 season.  
• Tinner tied her career-high in rebounds with nine.

Where the Series Stands

The last time that the Bullets defeated the Falcons was on Dec. 6, 1999, in Gettysburg, with a final score of 71-58. Messiah leads the all-time series record at 27-13 that dates back to its first meeting during the 1975-76 campaign.    

Next Up

Gettysburg travels to Johns Hopkins University to open Centennial Conference action on Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 6 p.m.