HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's basketball team (2-1) delivered an instant classic Saturday inside Gooding '84 Arena, going punch-for-punch with WBCA No. 22 Elizabethtown (2-0) in a double-overtime thriller before the Blue Jays slipped away with a 115-104 result. It was a game packed with school records, resilience and one of the most memorable performances in program history.
Haverford was led by a historic afternoon from Audrey Jakway, who broke the program's single-game scoring record with 42 points and added 16 rebounds, surpassing the previous mark of 36 points held by Ally Landau '24 and Katie Crowley '06. Caroline Orza delivered a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double, helping drive the Fords past their all-time team scoring record, topping the 93 points posted against Cedar Crest in 1998.
Shae Mercer added 13 points and seven assists in heavy minutes, while Brianna Feifer supplied 11 points and three blocks. Bri Heafey and Cayla Menicola contributed four points apiece, and Georgia Koff-Gilmore handed out five assists with two steals. Strong team rebounding, including five from the bench unit, rounded out a record-setting day in front of the enraptured Alumnae Day crowd.
Elizabethtown was powered by an enthralling outing from Makenna Mummert, who poured in 46 points on 15-of-26 shooting and went 16-18 at the line while adding five assists and four rebounds. Kamryn Mengel gave the Blue Jays another strong backcourt presence with 15 points, three steals and a pair of threes across 32 minutes. Cadence Anderson chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds, knocking down two threes, while Ella Gordon added 12 points, six assists and five boards.
Kiley Wilhelm anchored the interior with a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double and a team-high six offensive boards, and Allyia Kennedy provided 11 points, six rebounds, three blocks and key defensive plays before fouling out. Ellie Fasick contributed four points and steady low-post minutes, and Peyton Houlihan added three rebounds and a block off the bench.
Elizabethtown capitalized on early turnovers to jump in front, but the Fords found their footing through Jakway, who scored at all three levels during a 16-point first quarter. Orza buried back-to-back threes to spark the crowd, and Haverford surged to a 25-17 advantage after one.
Momentum swung sharply in the second quarter as the Blue Jays chipped away behind Mummert's relentless drives and timely threes from Ella Gordon. Haverford held off several pushes with strong finishes from Bri Heafey and Brianna Feifer, but Elizabethtown's 22-16 period cut the halftime lead to 41-39.
The third quarter unfolded as a back-and-forth duel. Orza and Feifer connected from deep to build an eight-point cushion, the Fords' largest since the opening minutes, but Elizabethtown closed the frame strong as Mummert sliced the margin to just three 61-58.
Tension climbed throughout the fourth quarter as the teams traded scores on nearly every possession. Jakway knocked down a clutch three, Mercer slashed through the lane for a go-ahead finish, and Orza tied the game in the final minute with a highlight reel three at 78-78. After Mummert sank two free throws with 11 seconds remaining, Feifer answered with a driving layup to force overtime at 80-80.
In the first extra period, Jakway converted repeatedly at the line and finished back-to-back layups, but Elizabethtown recovered to force another tie at 96-96. Haverford earned one final defensive stop to send the marathon to a second overtime.
The Blue Jays took control early in the second OT with six straight free throws and a Mummert layup to push ahead 102-96. Mercer hit a response three, but Elizabethtown continued to convert at the stripe and added a Cadence Anderson triple to create enough separation. Haverford generated late transition points, yet the Blue Jays held firm as Anderson's final free throw sealed the 115-104 finish.
Haverford now continues its six-game homestand Tuesday, Nov. 18, hosting Neumann at 7:30 p.m. The Fords will not return to the road until Dec. 11 at PSU Berks.
