SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Swarthmore College women's basketball team nearly erased a 10-point deficit in the final three-plus minutes of the contest but came up just short in a 66-65 defeat to Alvernia University on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Garnet took a slim 16-15 lead into the second quarter but the Golden Wolves outscored the home team, 21-10, in the period to take a halftime edge they would not relinquish. Swarthmore trailed 63-53 with 3:21 to go in the fourth before rallying for 12 of the last 15 points. However, the Garnet ran out of time to complete the comeback.
 
Vianna Kanyamiheto-Watson and Catherine Chadwell led Swarthmore with 21 and 20 points respectively. Chadwell shot 8-of-13 from the floor. Carly Murphy was 5-for-10 shooting and finished with 12 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Alvernia tallied 10 of the opening 15 points, making four of its first five shots including two three-pointers, to go ahead 10-5 with 6:18 on the clock. The Garnet answered with a 10-0 run to go in front 15-10 with 4:04 remaining. Kanyamiheto-Watson scored seven points, including a pair of triples, and Chadwell totaled three. The Golden Wolves produced five points in a row to tie the score before a free throw by Emy Chen gave Swarthmore a one-point edge (16-15) entering the second.
 
- In the second, Alvernia poured in seven of the first 11 to take a two-point advantage (22-20) after four minutes of play. The Golden Wolves then pulled away with a 14-3 surge for their largest lead at 13 (36-23) with 53 seconds left. Alvernia shot 5-of-6, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, during the stretch. A Kanyamiheto-Watson three made it a 10-point difference (36-26) at halftime.
 
- The Garnet came out strong to start the third, tallying seven of the first nine to get within five (38-33). With the score 42-37, the Golden Wolves created some separation with a 9-2 run to lead 51-39 with 2:58 on the clock. Alvernia maintained a double-digit lead (54-44) heading into the fourth.
 
- In the final quarter, a layup by the Golden Wolves gave the visitors a 10-point advantage (63-53) once again with 3:21 to play. Swarthmore then scored nine unanswered to close the gap to one (63-62) with 1:30 remaining. Chadwell recorded six points and Kanyamiheto-Watson hit a three.
 
- After an Alvernia turnover, the Garnet had the chance to take the lead but the Golden Wolves came up with a steal and a layup to lead by three (65-62) with 28 seconds to go. Swarthmore then missed on two three-point chances and Alvernia netted a free throw to build the cushion to four (66-62) with four seconds on the clock. Kanyamiheto-Watson converted a three at the buzzer and the Garnet came up just one point short.
 
GARNET LEADERS
Points: Kanyamiheto-Watson 21
Rebounds: Raven Richardson 6
Assists: Kanyamiheto-Watson 2
Steals: Three players 2
Blocks: Murphy 2
Threes: Kanyamiheto-Watson 5
 
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (3-6) visits the University of Mary Washington on Monday.