SWARTHMORE, PA - Forward Brittany Braxton (So., Pearl River, NY/Nanuet) scored 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to record a double-double as the Franklin & Marshall College women's basketball team fell 74-67 to Swarthmore College in Centennial Conference women's basketball action.
Trailing 31-26 at halftime, the Diplomats (4-8, 2-4 Centennial Conference) overcame a 53-43 deficit with 11:16 left on the game clock to take a 56-55 lead with 6:40 to play. The margin grew to four points as Dana Johns (Sr., York, PA/Eastern York) drained a three-pointer to put her team in front 63-59 with 4:25 left on the clock.
Swarthmore (6-7, 3-5 Centennial Conference) rallied as Cara Tigue made a pair of free throws at 3:37 and Karen Berk put in a lay-up at 1:42 to knot the game at 63-63. The Garnet continued the run as Berk made a lay-up and a free throw and Jessica Fuhr made a pair at the charity stripe to go ahead 70-63 with 39 seconds on the clock and finish off a 10-0 run.
F&M was unable to overcome the run as Braxton made a free throw and guard Sarah Meisenberg (Fr., Severna Park, MD/Severn) hit a three-pointer to close out the Diplomats' scoring.
In the first half, Swarthmore ran out to a 6-0 lead in the game's first 80 seconds, but F&M rallied back to take a 21-20 lead with 6:35 left until intermission. The Garnet responded outscoring the Diplomats 11-5 to go into halftime with the lead.
Johns finished the game with 16 points and three assists, while Meisenberg and forward Emily Weaver (Sr., Prince Frederick, MD/Calverton) both added 12 points to lead the Diplomats.
For Swarthmore, Berk tallied 25 points and 14 rebounds, while Tigue and Jennifer Stevenson added 11 and 12 points, respectively. Fuhr and Debbie Farrelly chipped in nine points apiece as the Garnet improved to 9-23 all-time against F&M and snapped a three game losing streak to the Diplomats.
Franklin & Marshall will continue the season on January 18 at home versus Johns Hopkins University in Centennial Conference action. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
