Box Score ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Junior tri-captain Elle Larsen scored a career-high 28 points, but the Swarthmore College women's basketball team dropped its Centennial Conference opener to Muhlenberg by a 75-74 score on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at Memorial Hall. The Garnet scored 12 straight points to end regulation and force an extra frame before the Mules eventually escaped with the one-point win.

Larsen netted the first four points of the game and the first eight for Swarthmore, but a balanced scoring attack by the host school allowed the Mules to lead for most of the first half. After Larsen tied the game at 8s by hitting two free throws, Muhlenberg embarked on an 11-2 run to force the Garnet to take a timeout at the 12:22 mark.

Swarthmore came out of the timeout firing by rattling off eight unanswered to get back into the game, which was capped by an Isabella Bellezza layup that made it 19-18 in favor of the Mules. The teams would later trade the lead two more times before going into the recess deadlocked at 33.

For the second consecutive frame, Larsen scored the opening four points of the second half on layups to put the Garnet ahead by a 37-33 score. Muhlenberg, however, did not allow the visitors to convert a field goal for more than three minutes and regained the lead without looking back by scoring nine unanswered.

Junior Nicole Pepe appeared to put Muhlenberg (3-0, CC 1-0) in full control when her long trey gave the hosts their first double-digit lead at 65-53 with under five minutes remaining, but the Garnet stormed back and netted 12 straight to tie the score at 65s to force overtime. Senior Katie Lytle started the run with a layup and set up Larsen for the equalizing basket before time expired.

Swarthmore used the same wave of momentum to begin the overtime, as Larsen stole the ball away on a lob down low to junior Leanna Tallamy and then converted a layup on the other end to give the Garnet their first lead at 67-65 since the opening minutes of the second half. Junior Abby Stenger, however, ended what was a 14-0 run by drilling a trifecta to put the Mules ahead by one.

The teams traded leads two more times before the Garnet had the last chance to score. With three seconds remaining and Muhlenberg leading by a 75-74 score, Swarthmore got possession on a jump ball after Larsen rebounded her own miss. Working from the baseline, Lytle found senior Kayla Moritzky in the left corner. The senior dribbled around a few Mule defenders, but she was unable to get a shot off in time which allowed the Mules to escape with the one-point win.

In addition to Larsen, who registered her fifth career double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds, Swarthmore got strong contributions from Lytle and Moritzky. Lytle had 17 points and nine rebounds, while Moritzky finished with six points, a game-high seven assists and eight boards.

Muhlenberg (3-0, CC 1-0) was led by Tallamy, who registered a double-double with 22 points and 12 boards. Senior Leeann Lanza also posted a double-double by netting 12 and grabbing 13 boards.

Swarthmore (2-1, CC 0-1) returns to Tarble Pavilion to face preseason favorite Gettysburg in a rematch of last year's Centennial Conference championship game that was won by the Bullets on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m.