Grove City vs. Montclair State Box | Gettysburg vs. Arcadia Box

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Freshman Caitlin Moser (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) posted a game-high 16 points with nine rebounds and senior Megan Hartman (Lewistown, Pa./Indian Valley) added 11 to power Gettysburg College past Arcadia University 67-48 in the first round of the 18th Annual Days Inn Tournament.

Gettysburg (5-4) will face Grove City College (3-6) in the tournament championship on Thursday (Jan. 3) at 4 p.m. It marks the 11th trip to the Days Inn finale for the Bullets, who have won titles in 1994, 1995, and 2001. The Wolverines picked off Montclair State University (5-5) in Wednesday's first game, earning a 61-60 overtime victory. Arcadia (2-7) and Montclair State will do battle in the consolation game prior to the championship at 2 p.m.

The early going in the nightcap was close as the Knights took the first and only lead of the night 3-2 just under two minutes in. That advantage was quickly erased by the hosts and later in the opening half, the Bullets peeled off a 13-0 run to take their largest lead of the game at 33-13. Freshman Kelley Andersen (Greenwood Village, Colo./Cherry Creek) sparked the run with six points, while Moser finished the half with nine points as Gettysburg went into the locker room with a 33-15 cushion.

Hartman began the second period with a quick three-pointer to push the lead to 21 (36-15) and the Bullets continued the press their advantage, letting it slip below 20 only a few times. The Knights didn't aid their cause, going over five minutes without a field goal late in the second half as the margin ballooned to 29 with 4:50 to play.

Gettysburg dominated the area under the basket, scoring 42 points compared to Arcadia's 18. Moser finished 5-of-8 from the field and 6-of-8 from the line and dished out four assists as she led the Bullets in scoring for the fifth time this season. Hartman finished 5-of-11 from the field and grabbed four rebounds and a pair of steals.

Gettysburg's well-rounded effort saw every player in uniform reach the court with all but three netting a bucket. Andersen and sophomore Courtney Fields (Baltimore, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) each notched eight points, the former adding five rebounds, while freshman Caitlin Bay (Flemington, N.J./Immaculata) notched seven points, all in the second half. Sophomore Nicole Dobranski (Albertson, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) pulled down nine rebounds and dished out four assists.

Arcadia was led by Caitlin Sparks with 15 points and nine rebounds. Cynthia Rivera added nine points and eight rebounds, while Anna Feindt tallied eight points.

The opening contest featured 12 lead changes and 14 ties, but Grove City ended a six-game skid by scoring six straight points in the extra session and then holding on as a Red Hawk jumper was off the mark as time expired. Raeaan Szelong secured the win for the Wolverines by canning a free throw attempt with 52 ticks remaining.

Nearly every statistic in the game was even as the two teams ended the first half deadlocked at 29 before ending regulation knotted at 52. Montclair State's largest lead came with 8:14 to go in the final period as Catherine Cristino converted a lay up to give her team a six-point margin (49-43). Grove City clawed its way back in, forcing six turnovers over the final eight minutes and allowing only one field goal. Laura Miller connected on a jumper with 1:32 to tie the game at 52 and send it to overtime.

Christine Slater notched a game-high 22 points with nine rebounds to lead Grove City, while Brittany Anderson posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards. Miller finished the day with 13 tallies.

The Red Hawks were led by Kisandra Ayanbeku with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Marianne McGovern and Jamilee Pflug each added eight points, while Jessica Garrabrant tallied seven points and 11 rebounds.