GETTYSBURG, PA - Forwards Katie Eiden and Jennifer Bengel both scored 20 points as the Gettysburg College Bullets women's basketball team out shot Franklin & Marshall College down the stretch to take a 71-62 win in the Centennial Conference opener for both teams.
For the Bullets, Bengel finished with a double-double as she added 10 rebounds, including seven defensive boards, and two assists, while Eiden added five rebounds and three assists as Gettysburg (2-2, 1-0 Centennial Conference) improves to 31-22 all-time versus Franklin & Marshall (1-2, 0-1 Centennial Conference).
Leading 31-30 at halftime and never trailing in the game, Eiden scored on a lay-up 10 seconds into the second half to push the lead out to three points before F&M forward Brittany Braxton (So., Pearl River, NY/Nanuet) converted on a lay-up opportunity off an assist from forward Emily Weaver (Sr., Prince Frederick, MD/Calverton) to pull F&M back to within one at 33-32 at the 19:34 mark.
However, Gettysburg took control of the game as Bengel hit a jumper to start a 14-0 run in which she scored five points, blocked a shot and dished out an assist as the Bullets took a 45-32 lead with 15:11 left on the clock.
Franklin & Marshall's Maxie Etess broke a six and a half minute scoring drought by the Diplomats at 13:05 as she drained a three-pointer to make the score 47-35.
Eiden added a pair of free throws and knocked down a jumper to put the ead at 16 points, but guard Sarah Meisenberg (Fr., Severna Park, MD/Severn School) drilled a three-pointer and Braxton knocked down a jumper before Meisenberg converted on the front-end of a pair of free throws to set the score at 51-41 with 8:51 to play.
Following a jumper by Amy Tarbell to inch the margin back to 12 points at 53-41 with 8:41 remaining on the clock, Franklin & Marshall shaved the lead to six with a 6-0 run as Braxton made a pair of lay-ups and Meisenberg dropped in a bucket to trail 53-47 with 6:46 remaining on the clock.
It marked the closest F&M would get for the remainder of the game as Eiden converted on a pair of free throws and Tarbell made a lay-up to inch the lead back to 10 points.
F&M attempted to rally as they used a lay-up and foul shot by Meisenberg and a foul shot by guard Christy Strunk (Sr., Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) to slice the lead back to 59-53 with 3:32 to play.
However, Gettysburg's Kathryn Reilly hit a jumper and a foul shot before Reilly made a pair at the charity stripe for an 11 point lead with 2:32 to play as the Diplomats were unable to cut the lead below nine points the rest of the way.
For Franklin & Marshall, Braxton led the way with 14 points. 14 rebounds and a pair of steals, while Meisenberg added 16 points, Etess dropped in 11 and 2005 Centennial Conference Player of the Year Dana Johns (Sr., York, PA/Eastern York) chipped in 14 points, four rebounds and a team high three assists.
Tarbell tallied 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Bullets, while Reilly tacked on nine points, seven boards and two steals.
Franklin & Marshall College (1-2, 0-1 CC) will continue the season on November 28 at York College of Pennsylvania in non-conference action. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
