SWARTHMORE, Pa.—A late rally by the Swarthmore College women's basketball team (5-20, 3-15 CC) came up just short as the Garnet concluded their season with a 47-50 loss to rival Haverford (15-10, 10-8 CC) on Saturday, Feb. 20.
Prior to the game, the team honored its two seniors,
Abbey Deckard and
Jessica Jowdy, for their significant contributions to the program over the past four years. Jowdy finished with 14 points and six rebounds while Deckard totaled four points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Sophomore
Bridget Scott added 10 more points and
Maggie O'Neil swatted away four shots by Haverford.
Swarthmore committed only eight turnovers in the contest and shot 12-of-15 (80%) from the line, but could not overcome the Fords as it wrapped up the 2015-16 campaign with a 5-20 record.
The visitors led for the majority of the first quarter before two free throws by Scott and
Kemi Oladipo's layup in the final minute gave the Garnet a 13-12 lead heading into the second quarter.
Hayley Raymond scored to open the period but a 7-0 run returned the lead to Haverford. O'Neil's layup and two more Scott free throws trimmed the deficit to one at 21-22. The teams traded points and dead locked the score at 23 apiece entering the intermission.
Swarthmore's offense struggled in the third quarter and the visitors took advantage for a 37-28 advantage before the fourth and final frame. Jowdy turned it up in the fourth quarter to the tune of 12 points, including 11 in the final 1:07 of the contest.
The Fords held a 45-36 margin with 1:25 remaining before Jowdy began to heat up, scoring a layup after securing an offensive board. On the other end, Deckard forced a turnover and set up Jowdy for a fastbreak trey. Haverford hit a pair of free throws before Jowdy answered behind three clutch freebies of her own with 40 seconds remaining. The Fords made one of two from the stripe and a deep three by Jowdy made it a one-point game as the crowd erupted. Unfortunately for the Garnet, Haverford's Katie Cook converted her final two free throws to provide the final margin.
Swarthmore returns nine letterwinners for the 2016-17season.
