SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Swarthmore College women's basketball team opened its Centennial Conference schedule with a 61-35 loss versus Franklin and Marshall College on Wednesday night.
 
The Diplomats used an 11-2 first-quarter run to take control and never looked back. The Garnet struggled to get in an offensive rhythm as F&M held the home team to just 21.7 percent shooting and won the battle on the glass, 56-40.
 
Vianna Kanyamiheto-Watson led Swarthmore with 10 points while Lily Czub scored eight. Raven Richardson grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet had an early 3-2 edge in the opening quarter before the Diplomats scored 11 of the next 13 to take a 13-5 lead with 2:59 left in the period. F&M remained ahead by eight (15-7) entering the second.
 
- Claire Mathews hit a three for Swarthmore to get her squad within seven (19-12) at the 4:55 mark of the second quarter. However, back-to-back triples sparked a 12-0 surge for the visitors as they went ahead 31-12 with 1:16 on the clock. The Diplomats shot 5-of-8, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, during the stretch. F&M led 31-13 at halftime.
 
- The Diplomats opened the third quarter with another 12 unanswered points to squash any hope of a Garnet comeback. F&M shot 4-of-7 and made all three of its three-point attempts during the run and led 43-13. Czub ended Swarthmore's drought with a layup and the Garnet scored 10 points over the final four minutes but trailed 49-23 entering the final stanza. Both teams netted 12 points in the fourth quarter.
 
GARNET LEADERS
Points: Kanyamiheto-Watson 10
Rebounds: Richardson 8
Assists: Four players 1
Blocks: Richardson 3
Steals: Kanyamiheto-Watson 3
Threes: Mathews 1
 
UP NEXT
The Garnet (2-4, 0-1 Centennial) travel to conference foe Washington College on Saturday.