SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Kicking off Centennial conference play in 2023, the Swarthmore women's basketball team fell to McDaniel College 46-44.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, the Garnet saw double-digit point totals from both first year Anna Hansson and sophomore Alyssa Hayashi, both of whom put up 12 and 11 points respectively. Hansson also served as an anchor defensively for the Garnet, with the New Jersey native notching five steals, four blocks and four rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- While both teams struggled to find the basket early on in the first quarter, senior Kim Kockenmesiter finally connected for the Garnet, tying the contest at 2-2 three minutes into play. While McDaniel would pull away slightly as the quarter progressed, taking a 10-5 lead with 5:05 left to play, buckets from Hansson and Hayashi would keep the contest close, allowing a made foul shot from first year Harrison Anderson to level the game at 14-all, a scoreline that would hold going into the break.

- In a quarter dominated by defenses, the second period saw nine steals to just eight field goals for both squads combined. In that scrum neither team was able to pull away, as despite the Green Terror going up 21-16 with 4:23 left in the half, layups from Hayashi and Hansson pulled the game back as the Garnet went into the break trailing just 24-22.

- Much like the second, the third period saw early offensive success from McDaniel, giving the Green Terror a 29-22 advantage before the Garnet could get themselves on the board. However, not content to simply roll over, Swarthmore fought back, with five straight points from sophomore Norah Wingfield closing the gap to such an extent that a Hannson layup tied the contest at 29-29 halfway through the quarter. While McDaniel would regain their lead a minute and a half later, two made free throws from first year Carolina Lopez narrowed the Green Terror's margin to 32-31, with a subsequent basket from sophomore Katelyn Becker giving the Garnet their first lead of the night at 33-32. A Becker layup would expand Swarthmore's lead with under thirty seconds left in the period, as Swarthmore went into the break up 35-32.

- While McDaniel took back and expanded on their lead to start out the fourth quarter, two layups from Wingfield kept the Garnet firmly in the contest, with a layup from Hansson tying the game at 41-all with 2:13 left to play. A Hayashi three would tie the Garnet's largest lead of the night at 44-41, but the Terror would respond with a triple of their own, tying the match at 44-all. With six seconds left to play, Lopez saw her game winning jumper blocked, with a quick timeout from McDaniel giving them the opportunity to rattle in a buzzer-beating layup, taking the game 46-44.

- The Garnet are now 4-6, 2-3 in conference play. 

GARNET LEADERS
- Points: Hansson (12), Hayashi (11), Wingfield (9)
- Assists: Lopez (4), Hayashi (3)
- Rebounds: Hayashi (9), Lopez (5), Wingfield (4), Hansson (4)
- Steals: Hansson (5), Hayashi (4), Lopez (4)
- Blocks: Hansson (4), Wingfield (1) 

UP NEXT
Hitting the road once again, the Garnet will travel to Franklin and Marshall College on Saturday,        January 7th at 1:00 p.m.