Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Jennifer Bengel (Timonium, MD/Roland Park Country School) and Katie Eiden (Silver Spring, MD/ Georgetown Visitation [DC]) led the Bullets with a game-high 20 points each as Gettysburg defeated Franklin & Marshall 71-62 in the Centennial Conference (CC) opener for both teams on Tuesday.
Eiden's 20 points marked a career high, topping a 19-point performance against King's in 2004.
Bengel had 10 rebounds to lead Gettysburg on the glass, finishing with here second straight double-double.
Amy Tarbell (Westminster, MD/East Greenwich [RI]) pulled down eight boards and Kathryn Reilly (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) had seven to go along with two blocked shots to run her team-leading season block total to seven. Jamie Marshall (Pottsville, PA/Nativity B.V.M.) led the Bullets with three steals.
Sarah Meisenberg finished with an F&M team high of 15 points for F&M (1-2, 0-1). Brittany Braxton posted a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Dana Johns, reigning CC Player of the year each contributed 14 points in the losing effort.
Despite their fourth game in five days, the Bullets never trailed in route to a win in their conference opener.
After the game was tied at 10, Bengel hit two free throws to spark a 7-0 run for the Bullets.
Gettysburg built an 11 point lead at 25-14, but F&M battled back, hitting three 3-pointers in the last two minutes and 22 seconds to help them narrow their halftime deficit to only one. Johns and Maxie Etess combined for five threes in the first half.
Following the intermission, the Bullet defense stepped up and managed to hold the Diplomats to one early field goal for the first six minutes and 55 seconds of the second half. During that time, Gettysburg went on a 14-0 tear, bringing the score to 47-32.
Eiden hit a jumper at the 10:57 mark to give the Bullets their biggest lead of the game at 51-35.
The Diplomats rallied back to within six points twice in the remainder of the game, the latter coming at 59-53 with 3:32 left. On Gettysburg's next possession Reilly was fouled going to the basket, made the bucket, and converted the three-point play at the line to put the Bullet lead back to nine and secure the win.
After going scoreless in the first half, Reilly picked up nine in the second, including 5-of-5 from the line. Tarbell picked up nine of her 11 points in the second stanza to round out the scoring for the Bullets.
Gettysburg returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at home against Bryn Mawr. Game time is 7 p.m.
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