Devils Stymie Garnet 66-53
CARLISLE, Pa. -- Dickinson seniors Laura Houseal and Patrice Johnson combined for 31 points to lead the Red Devils to a 66-53 Centennial victory over Swarthmore in Carlisle, Pa. on Saturday afternoon. Garnet sophomore center Karen Berk provided a bright spot for Swarthmore (8-9 overall, 5-7 CC), by posting her seventh double-double of the season with a game-high 20 points and 12 rebounds.
The Red Devils improve to 12-5 overall and 9-3 in the Centennial, ending a three-game skid in the process.
Swarthmore was the aggressor in the early going, working the ball into Berk for three consecutive buckets and an early 6-2 lead with 15:44 on the clock. Dickinson junior forward Piper Etess scored on a put-back at the 9:13 mark, knotting the score at 11-all. That bucket began a 12-0 run for the home-standing Red Devils, capped by a triple from Houseal with 3:19 left in the half.
The Garnet cut the Dickinson lead to 21-17 at 1:27 with a pair of free throws by freshman guard Kylah Field and four points from senior forward Cara Tigue. The Red Devils closed the half with a Etess lay-up and a free throw by Houseal to take a 24-17 into the locker room.
Berk and Houseal led all scorers with nine points apiece while Johnson chipped in seven for Dickinson. The Garnet held a 22-15 advantage on the glass, yet the Red Devils were able to convert nine Swarthmore turnovers into 11 points.
The first five minutes of the second half belonged to the Red Devils; the home team ran off eight straight points before Berk ended the run with a lay-up and foul at 15:00. Berk converted the free throw and Dickinson now led 32-20.
A successful Berk post move brought Swarthmore within 39-28 with 11:54 remaining in the game. The Red Devils turned up the defensive pressure once again, turning eight Garnet turnovers into a game-clinching 19-7 run. Sophomore guard Carly Onkotz scored consecutive fast-break lay-ups to give Dickinson a 58-35 lead, its largest of the night, with 4:27 left.
Swarthmore, led by guards Debbie Farrelly '06 and Laura Popovics, began to raining three-pointers in the final minutes to establish the final margin.
Houseal filled the stat sheet for the Red Devils, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, and three assists. Johnson added 14 points, five boards, and two steals for Dickinson.
The Devils recorded 13 steals and turned the Garnet miscues into 21 Dickinson points.
Berk continued to show why she is one of the top forwards in the region, shooting 8-of 14 from the field for a game-high 20 points. Berk is averaging 16.3 points per game and 9.1 rebounds pre game in Centennial play, putting up at least 20 points on four occasions.
Farrelly ended up with 13 points, sinking a game-high four triples while registering three assists. Tigue grabbed nine boards to go along with six points, including a perfect 4-of-4 at the free throw line.
The Garnet is in the midst of a three-game road trip and will travel south to Baltimore on Tuesday, January 31 to take on the top team in the Centennial Conference, the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. Hopkins defeated Swarthmore 60-57 in Tarble Pavilion on November 30th.