SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (9-11, 1-9 Centennial) dropped a tightly contested Centennial Conference matchup, 50–47, to Swarthmore College (6-13, 3-8 Centennial) on Wednesday evening at Tarble Pavilion. The Fords tied the game four times and led on two occasions, but a last-second three-pointer by the home side proved decisive. Despite a dominant performance on the glass by the Scarlet and Black that saw 51 total rebounds, Swarthmore's ability to convert points off turnovers ultimately sealed the result.
The contest marked the first of two meetings in the Hood Trophy Rivalry, as the Garnet secured the opening half-point with the victory.
Audrey Jakway posted a standout performance with 15 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, while Caroline Orza added 14 points and 14 rebounds to record her seventh double-double of the season. Shae Mercer chipped in five points and a team-best five assists.
Swarthmore was led by Vianna Kanyamiheto-Watson, who scored 14 points and connected on 4-of-8 attempts from three-point range. Carly Murphy added 13 points, hitting all three of her shots from beyond the arc, while Catherine Chadwell contributed 12 points and five steals. Raven Richardson filled the stat sheet with four blocks, four steals, and six rebounds.
The game opened with a defensive tone on both ends. Kanyamiheto-Watson gave Swarthmore the early lead with a layup at the 9:08 mark, assisted by Richardson, before the Fords responded on the next possession with a Jakway layup set up by Georgia Koff-Gilmore. The opening quarter featured several momentum-stopping defensive plays, including a Chadwell steal that led to a fast-break layup for the hosts.
Despite Haverford's efforts to stay close, including a free throw by Orza with 38 seconds remaining, the Garnet closed the period with an 11–6 advantage. A layup from Lily Czub and a timely three-pointer by Kanyamiheto-Watson at the 53-second mark helped Swarthmore create separation heading into the first break.
Swarthmore capitalized on six Haverford turnovers in the opening quarter, turning them into six points while limiting the Fords to two made field goals on 16 attempts. Although the Scarlet and Black held a significant rebounding edge with 15 boards, including six on the offensive end, they trailed 11–6 after one.
The home side opened the second quarter with a quick 6–0 spurt, highlighted by fast-break layups from Chadwell and Czub, extending the lead to 17–6 by the 8:18 mark. Haverford responded behind Orza, who controlled the glass and converted a key tip-in to help stabilize the offense. Jakway's layup with 2:17 remaining pulled the Fords within six at 22–16 as part of a 10–5 stretch by the Scarlet and Black. Swarthmore, however, answered late, as Richardson knocked down a jumper in the closing seconds to send the Garnet into halftime with a 24–18 lead.
The hosts again made the most of turnovers in the second quarter, converting seven Haverford miscues into six points. The Fords remained competitive by matching Swarthmore with six points in the paint during the period and holding a narrow rebounding advantage, 11–8. Swarthmore edged the quarter 13–12 to maintain its six-point cushion at the break.
The Garnet maintained control in the third quarter, entering the final period with a 37–30 advantage. Orza sparked Haverford early in the frame, knocking down a three-pointer at the 6:56 mark off an assist from Bri Heafey to trim the deficit to three. Swarthmore quickly responded, as Kanyamiheto-Watson buried a three of her own just 16 seconds later to restore a six-point lead. The Scarlet and Black continued to pressure defensively and convert in transition, highlighted by a fast-break layup from Koff-Gilmore with 37 seconds remaining, but Swarthmore's combination of perimeter shooting and trips to the free-throw line allowed the home side to narrowly outscore Haverford 13–12 in the quarter.
Despite shooting 24 percent from the field in the period, the Fords forced four turnovers and remained within striking distance thanks to defensive stops, including a block by Jakway. After three quarters, Swarthmore held a 37–30 edge.
Haverford mounted a strong comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Garnet 17–13. Swarthmore briefly extended its lead to 42–30 with a fast-break three-pointer from Kanyamiheto-Watson at the 9:24 mark, but the Scarlet and Black answered with a series of baskets in the paint. Jakway's layup at 3:33 capped an 8–2 Haverford run and tied the game at 44–44. Murphy broke the deadlock moments later with a three-pointer at 3:09, assisted by Chadwell, to put the hosts back in front. Following a Mercer layup, Orza stepped to the line and converted a free throw with 1:31 remaining to knot the score once again at 47–47.
In the closing seconds, Czub found Murphy in the corner, where she drained a three-pointer with five seconds left to give Swarthmore the lead for good. Haverford's final possession resulted in a contested three-point attempt from Orza that narrowly missed, sealing the 50–47 result.
The Fords dominated the final quarter inside, scoring 14 points in the paint and collecting 14 rebounds, while holding the Garnet to 13 points. A key defensive rebound with 47 seconds remaining allowed Haverford to call timeout and set up the final sequence, but Swarthmore's late perimeter shooting and defensive pressure proved decisive.
Haverford will return home on Saturday, February 7, when the Scarlet and Black welcome (RV) McDaniel to Gooding '84 Arena for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
