GETTYSBURG, PA. --- It's beginning to look like one of those special seasons for the Gettysburg women's basketball team.
Already off to the best start in program history, Gettysburg erased a 17-point second-half deficit by outscoring Messiah 42-13 after the break en route to a 71-58 victory in non-conference action on Monday. With the win, the Bullets improved to 7-0 for the first time in the 52-year history of the program.
Carrie Kulp (New Holland, PA/Conestoga Valley) led Gettysburg with 20 points while Steph Drevna (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Catholic) added 16 points and a team-high four assists in the win. Megan McDonald posted a double-double for Gettysburg with 11 points and 11 rebounds as well as a game-high four blocked shots.
Jay Hodge also led the second-half surge with five of her seven points and 10 of her 11 rebounds coming after the break. Gettysburg out-rebounded Messiah 53-35 on the night.
Christina Vouriotis led the Falcons with 12 points while Jess Mulberger chipped in with 11. Messiah (4-3) shot 4-for-29 (13.8 percent) from the floor in the second half and 32.3 percent for the game.
The Falcons led 45-29 after the first 20 minutes and extended their lead to 48-31 when Melissa Ehst drilled her only three-pointer of the contest with 17:10 remaining in the game.
McDonald, however, answered with a three-pointer of her own to start a 13-1 run that pulled the Bullets within 49-44 with 13:20 left. Messiah's Amy Hitz scored on a layup following a Falcon timeout, but Drevna scored four straight points on a three-pointer and a free throw and Kulp hit a drive in the lane to make it 51-50 in favor of Messiah.
Drevna completed the comeback and put Gettysburg on top for good at 52-51 by converting a pair of free throws with 8:45 remaining.
Gettysburg poured in six free throws during an 8-1 burst over the next 4:04 to take a 60-52 lead and control of the game. The Falcons pulled within 62-58 on a pair of free throws from Leanne Brofee with 2:48 left, but Kulp drilled a clutch three-pointer on the Bullets' next possession to make it 65-58. Gettysburg closed out the scoring with four free throws in the game's final two minutes.
Hodge also led the Bullets with four steals on the night. Messiah's Nikki Holsinger dished out a team-high four assists.
Gettysburg returns to action on Wednesday, December 8 with a key divisional game at nationally-ranked Johns Hopkins University. Game time is 7 p.m.
Score By Half:
| |
1 |
2 |
- |
F |
| Messiah (4-3) |
45 |
13 |
- |
58 |
| Gettysburg (7-0) |
29 |
42 |
- |
71 |
Gettysburg (71)
McDonald 4-10 2-4 11, Kulp 7-13 4-6 20, Dawson 2-4 0-0 4, Wilson 3-5 2-4 8, Drevna 5-18 5-6 16, Williams 0-3 0-0 0, Nolan 1-3 2-2 5, Hodge 3-6 1-2 7. Totals: 25-62 16-24 71
Messiah (58)
Mulberger 4-7 2-2 11, Marks 1-10 0-1 2, Hitz 3-11 1-3 7, Holsinger 3-5 1-2 9, Brofee 1-4 2-2 4, Kretzing 3-5 1-2 8, Wedemeyer 0-2 0-0 0, Sanderson 0-2 0-0 0, Ehst 2-10 0-0 5, Moody 0-0 0-0 0-0, Vouriotis 3-6 6-8 12. Totals: 20-62 13-21 58
Three-pointers: Gettysburg 5-12 (Kulp 2-4, Nolan 1-1, McDonald 1-2, Drevna 1-4, Wilson 0-1), Messiah 5-17 (Holsinger 2-3, Mulberger 1-1, Kretzing 1-3, Ehst 1-6, Wedemeyer 0-2, Sanderson 0-1, Vouriotis 0-1) Rebounds: Gettysburg 53 (McDonald, Hodge 11), Messiah 35 (Marks 6). Assists: Gettysburg 12 (Drevna 4), Messiah 13 (Holsinger 4). Turnovers: Gettysburg 25, Messiah 21. Blocked Shots: Gettysburg 4 (McDonald 4), Messiah 2 (Mulberger, Vouriotis 1). Steals: Gettysburg 11 (Hodge 4), Messiah 12 (Marks, Holsinger Vouriotis 3). Personal Fouls: Gettysburg 18, Messiah 20. Technical Fouls: None. Attendance:104.
