Garnet Scare off Owls
BRYN MAWR, Pa. -- Swarthmore senior guard Jen Stevenson scored a team-high 15 points and sophomore center Karen Berk tallied her fourth double-double of the season as the visiting Garnet defeated Bryn Mawr 49-36 on Thursday evening at Bern Schwartz Gymnasium. Swarthmore improves to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in the Centennial, while the Owls slip to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
Stevenson hit for 13 first-half points, including three for four from behind the arc. The senior captain has made six of her last seven from beyond the arc, hitting at a 44% clip on the season.
Swarthmore's lead was five at halftime, 19-14 following a tight defensive battle in the first twenty minutes.
The Garnet came out like gang-busters in the second half, spitting out a 19-7 run over the first ten minutes to take a 38-21 lead after two Berk free throws.
Swarthmore pushed its advantage to as many as 19, (47-28 with 4:03 remaining) forcing 11 Bryn Mawr turnovers in the second half to end a two-game losing streak.
Both teams struggled from the floor, with the Garnet holding the slight advantage by shooting 29% to the Owls' 26%.
Swarthmore put ten different players in the scoring column, with several players putting for efforts worth recognition. Berk finished with 13 points and a career-high 16 rebounds to collect her sixth career double-double. Senior forward Cara Tigue put together another solid effort on the glass, collecting eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Laura Popovics set a career-high with six rebounds and tied her career-best with a team-high four assists. Sophomore forward Kristen Traband also hit a milestone, tallying a career-best four points in 11 minutes of action.
Junior Amy Johnson paced the Owls, recording game and season-highs of 19 points and 16 rebounds. Freshman center Jessica Allen chipped in 10 points and six rebounds while classmate Julia Harris grabbed 11 boards to go along with a game-high five steals. Harris is tops in the Centennial with 28 steals.
Swarthmore takes a month-long break for final exams and the holidays before resuming Centennial Conference action on January 7. The Garnet will host Dickinson at 2:00 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the men.