Garnet Dig Out Gophers
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Swarthmore junior Pamela Costello had a career-high 19 rebounds to lead her team in a 75-62 win over visiting Goucher on Thursday night in Tarble Pavilion.
The Garnet improved to 4-4 overall while the Gophers slipped to 3-4.
Four Garnet starters scored in the double figures led by forward Kathryn Stockbower ’11 (Fort Washington, Pa. / Upper Dublin), who registered her seventh double-double of the season with a game-high 22-points and 13-rebounds. Costello (Havertown, Pa. / Haverford) (pictured right) also notched 13-points for her second double-double of the season. Also marking a career-high on the evening was Summer Miller-Walfish ’11 (San Jose, N.M. / West Las Vegas), with 14 points.
Goucher’s leading scorer, junior Amber Smith, who averages 14.5 points per game, had 15 points. Guards Kelsey Myette and Leia Roverts-Brown picked-up 11 and 12 points, respectively, for the Gophers.
Although the game got off to a slow start, Swarthmore forced four turnovers while edging Goucher with a seven-point lead (11-4) at 14:28 in the first half.
The Gophers tied the game 18 with 9:14 left in the first half, and took their first lead of the game when freshman Elizabeth von Ende hit a field goal from three-point land.
For the remainder of the half, the score went back and forth nine times with neither team gaining a substantial lead. In the first half, Swarthmore edged Goucher 23-13 in rebounds and 12-7 in second chance points.
Swarthmore went on a 6-2 run with 8:50 on the clock to earn their largest lead since coming back in the gym after halftime. Goucher would continue to work hard and to get back within reach of the lead.
Goucher put a full court press on the Garnet for the final three minutes of the game but Swarthmore adjusted and tactfully transitioned the ball down the court.
Even though Swarthmore struggled from the free throw line for a majority of the game, their final 10 points were scored from the line, giving them a 13-point lead to end the game.
The Garnet will return to the courts after their winter break when they travel to the West Coast in the first week of January. They will compete in the Purple and Gold Classic at Whittier College.
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