Fords bested by Swarthmore on Senior Day, 41-37

HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women’s basketball team rallied from an 11-point second half deficit to tie the score late in the game, but it was not enough as Swarthmore College prevailed, 41-37, in the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday at Gooding Arena.

Neither team shot particularly well from the field in the first half. Haverford (6-16, 5-13 CC) shot 25 percent while the Garnet were a shade under 40 percent. The Fords scored the first two baskets of the game, but the opening frame saw seven lead changes.

A layup by Kathryn Stockbower gave Swarthmore (13-12, 10-8 CC) the lead, 14-13, with just under seven minutes to go. The Garnet finished the half on a 13-3 run for a 25-18 halftime advantage. Elizabeth Mayell pulled HC within seven as she grabbed a rebound and put in a layup in the middle of the lane before the clock expired.

Brittany Lattisaw scored the first bucket of the second half to cut the deficit to five points, but a 6-0 Garnet run put them ahead, 31-20, with 16:45 on the clock.

Haverford clawed its way back and got within five points on a three-point play by Kathleen Abels at the 13:10 mark. A Lattisaw layup with less than 11 minutes to go made the score 35-31 and then the game took a funny twist as the two teams combined to miss 17 shots over a four minute stretch. Lattisaw broke the trend on a layup at the 6:25 mark to make it a one possession game, 35-33.

Swarthmore went up by four on a Ceylan Bodur jumper, but two free throws by Lattisaw brought it back to two points, 37-35, with 3:43 left. Both teams missed chances over the next two minutes until a Lattisaw layup with 1:46 remaining tied the score at 37-all.

With less than a minute to go Swarthmore worked the ball down low to Bodur who found an open Stockbower on the opposite block for a layup that put the Garnet ahead for good. Natalie Richman’s jumper with three seconds left was blocked by Summer Miller-Walfish and Stockbower grabbed the rebound to end the Fords last chance.

Stockbower and Bodur posted double-doubles for the Garnet. Stockbower had 14 points and 13 rebounds and Bodur posted 11 points and 10 boards.  

Haverford’s three seniors: Abels, Lattisaw and Richman all contributed in their final game wearing the Scarlet and Black. Abels filled the box score with five points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Lattisaw led all scorers with 16 points, she also ripped down nine rebounds and blocked five shots. Richman scored eight points and had a game-high 15 rebounds.