HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (4-3, 0-2 CC) fell in a nailbiter to visiting Muhlenberg (5-5, 2-0 CC), 56-54, in a Centennial Conference matchup inside Gooding Arena on Saturday. Haverford came up short despite forcing 21 turnovers from the Mules as the visitors used a 10-0 to close the contest and escape with a victory.
Audrey Jakway led Haverford with 20 points and 13 rebounds, showing strength on both ends of the court in another well-rounded effort. Bri Heafey added seven points, achieving career highs in both points and field goal attempts with eight, and recording a career-high eight assists to pace the offense. She also grabbed a career-high four defensive rebounds. Brianna Feifer posted a career-best four blocks and three steals, contributing significantly on defense, while Georgia Koff-Gilmore recorded a career-best four steals and added a career-high seven points to boost the team's intensity.
For the Mules, Veronica Dawson led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end. Avery McNulty contributed nine points and two steals, while Katie McGrath collected five assists and six rebounds. Linzy Roberson added 10 points and nine rebounds, providing a steady presence on the boards.
Haverford took control early with a 14-5 run to close the opening quarter after the score was tied 6-6 early. Koff-Gilmore's fast-break layup at 0:32 and Feifer's three-pointer with four seconds remaining capped the surge, giving the Fords a 20-11 lead after one.
Haverford maintained its lead in the second quarter with a balanced attack. Jakway contributed four points, including a layup at 3:19, assisted by Koff-Gilmore and a jumper with seven seconds left to push the score to 31-21. The defense held firm, with Feifer recording a crucial block and the team tallying three steals. Despite Muhlenberg sinking six free throws in the period, Haverford edged the visitors 11-10 to take a 31-21 lead into halftime.
Muhlenberg outscored Haverford 16-11 in the third quarter to narrow the margin. A three-pointer from Lindsey Costigan at 9:05 and a Dawson jumper at 5:54 helped cut into the deficit as the Mules gained some comfort after being held off guard in the first half. A Feifer steal led to a three-pointer at 7:31, and Shae Mercer added a fast-break jumper at 1:33 as the Fords regained some command. Despite the push from the visitors, the Fords held a 42-37 lead entering the fourth.
The Mules overtook Haverford in the final quarter, outscoring the Fords 19-12. Mercer opened the period with a jumper at 9:35 to extend the lead to 44-37. Muhlenberg responded with a Costigan three-pointer at 6:17 to tie it at 44. Alyssa Aslam scored a key layup with 5:53 remaining to restore a 46-44 Haverford advantage. Jakway followed with an emphatic three-point play and later forced a turnover that led to a layup, pushing the lead to seven.
Muhlenberg clawed back with a Dawson jumper, but Heafey answered to extend the margin to 54-46 with 3:07 left. The Mules then strung together an 8-0 run to tie the game at the free-throw line, and a Dawson layup at 1:45 gave the visitors a 56-54 edge. Haverford went scoreless on its final five possessions, allowing Muhlenberg to escape with the win.
Haverford will now break from conference play until January 7, as the Fords will face off with five consecutive non-conference opponents. First up is a trip to Penn State Berks on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff against the Nittany Lions.
