Box Score

ASTON, Pa. – Senior Elle Larsen netted 25 points and junior Jessica Jowdy fell just shy of a double-double as the Swarthmore College women's basketball team used a late rally to defeat Neumann by a 62-55 score on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Mirenda Center.
 
Swarthmore (2-4) had the edge in a sloppy first half that saw both teams shoot under 40 percent from the field. Sophomore Jordyn Bell started the scoring by converting a layup before Larsen followed with a pair of free throws to put the Garnet ahead 4-0. Neumann then responded with six straight, as the teams exchanged leads six times over a six-minute span.
 
But thanks to three consecutive field goals from Larsen, the Garnet earned a lead they would never relinquish for the remainder of the half. Freshman Hayley Raymond put back a missed shot by Larsen to give the visitors a 15-12 advantage, and Jowdy canned a trifecta to break a 15-all tie at the 6:43 mark. A 3-pointer by sophomore Erin Jenson that was set up by junior Abbey Deckard gave Swarthmore a 31-25 advantage at the break.
 
Neumann continued chipping away at the deficit in the second frame. After sophomore Maggie O'Neil converted a layup and set up a Jowdy trifecta to make it 42-35, the Knights rattled off 10 unanswered to pull ahead. Sarah Roberts made two straight shots from downtown before Latisha Johnson gave the Knights their first lead of the half by stealing the ball away and driving in for a layup to make it 43-42 with 13:03 left in regulation.
 
Erika Smith-Powell kept the Knights in control by sinking a layup to create a 53-47 score with 6:57 on the clock, but the Garnet stormed back by ending the game on a 15-2 run. O'Neil made a layup to tie the score at 53s and Larsen finished a Jowdy pass to give the visitors the lead for good at 3:54. Deckard, Larsen and O'Neil then hit free throws down the stretch for insurance.
 
Larsen scored 25 by shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 7-of-11 from the line to lead Swarthmore in the winning effort. She also had eight rebounds and two blocks. Jowdy had a strong performance across the board by accumulating 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two assists, while Deckard corralled 11 rebounds.
 
Neumann (2-4) was paced by Holly McKaig, Jesscia Schlesman and Johnson in the setback. McKaig and Johnson had 11 points apiece, while McKaig also grabbed eight boards. Schlesman registered 10 points, four assists and three steals.
 
Swarthmore resumes Centennial Conference play when it hosts Dickinson on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m.