ABINGTON, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (6-5) used a 22-point third quarter to defeat Penn State Abington (7-3) by a score of 64-56 in their first game of 2025, on Thursday afternoon at Penn State Abington.
A back-and-forth start to this contest saw both teams trade baskets until the Nittany Lions narrowly pulled ahead to go up 12-6 with 3:19 to go in the first quarter. The Fords shot just 3-of-9 in the opening minutes, but saw four big points scored by Audrey Jakway. Down 12-6 with just over three minutes remaining, the Scarlet and Black closed out the quarter on a 11-2 scoring run to take a 17-14 advantage into the second quarter. In the scoring run, the Fords shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, which included triples from Caroline Orza, Grace Leverton, and a clutch three-point play by Jakway.
Haverford kept their foot on the pedal to begin the second stanza, going on a 7-2 run to claim a 24-16 lead with 7:13 remaining in the first half. The Fords took advantage of Penn State Abington shooting just 25 percent to begin the second quarter, while the visitors went 2-of-3 from the field which included a three-point make by Shae Mercer.
Following a warranted PSA timeout, it was the hosts who then went on a 7-2 scoring run themselves, trimming the Haverford lead down to just 26-23 with 3:14 to go in half number one. Two costly turnovers hurt the Scarlet and Black in the scoring span, while the Nittany Lions went 3-of-5 from the field, which included a three-ball from Kylie Frey. Down 30-28 with just six seconds to go in the first half, Penn State Abington's Amina Reid connected on a three-pointer to give the hosts a small one-point lead, 31-30, headed into the halftime break.
At the half, Jakway led all scorers on the floor with nine points, after going 4-of-9 from the field. On the glass, Mercer was a major presence in the paint, pulling down seven rebounds. For the Nittany Lions, both Frey and Nia Newman put up a team-high six points.
Three lead changes occurred in the opening minutes of the third period, however, it was the Fords who went on a 9-4 scoring run to go up 39-35, to force a PSA timeout with 5:41 to go in quarter number three. Jakway continued her hot start in the first half, by putting up five more points, which included her first trey of the game. Efficient shooting was a recurring theme in the third quarter for the Scarlet and Black, as Haverford ended the quarter on a 13-8 scoring run to carry a 52-40 advantage into the final 10 minutes. The Fords went 4-of-7 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-point land and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe to claim the 12-point lead. Orza put up seven points in the stretch, including one shot from behind the three-point arc. Grace Leverton also started to find an offensive rhythm, adding a three-pointer and free-throw in the 13-point scoring span.
Just like the third quarter, Haverford got off to another hot start in the final quarter, racing out to a 10-3 scoring run, extending their commanding lead to 62-46 with 7:30 left in the ballgame. The run saw the Scarlet and Black shoot a perfect 4-for-4 from the field yet again, while Leverton and Brianna Feifer buried a three-pointer each. Coming out of a much-needed timeout, the Nittany Lions outscored the Fords 10-2 for the remainder of the contest, but it was too little, too late for the hosts, as Haverford was able to leave Abington, Pa., with a 64-56 victory.
Jakway paved the way for the Fords, ending the game with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and an impressive three blocks. Feifer also had a productive day for the Scarlet and Black, as the junior played all 40 minutes, scoring 13 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out seven assists. Two other Haverford players reached double-figures on the day, as Orza dropped 14 points, and Leverton scored a season-high 12 points. On the glass, Mercer matched her season-high total, by pulling down 11 rebounds. As a team, the Scarlet and Black 47 percent from the field (24-of-51) and 36 percent from three-point land (8-of-22), while out rebounding Penn State Abington 37-30. On the other side of the floor, Amira Hackney paced the Nittany Lions in points with 14.
Women's basketball will conclude their action-packed week in Newport News, Va. for a Sunday matinee with the nation's 11th-ranked team Christopher Newport, at 2 p.m.
