Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg College took a two-point lead with over seven minutes left in its Centennial Conference opener against Muhlenberg College, but the nationally-ranked Mules rebounded with a 10-0 run to grab the advantage for good and spoil the Bullets' upset bid 72-63 Tuesday night in Bream Gym.

Junior Allie Drechsler (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) paced the Gettysburg (2-2, 0-1 CC) effort with 17 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals, while junior Courtney Fields (Baltimore, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) tallied 15 points and a team-high six rebounds.

In a rematch from last season's CC Tournament championship game, Muhlenberg (3-0, 1-0 CC), ranked No. 23 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division III Coaches Poll (Nov. 25), jumped ahead by one (8-7) on a jumper by Lauren Boyle just over six minutes into the contest. The early back-and-forth battle took a quick turn as the Bullets poured in 14 of the next 17 points, including six by Drechsler, to take a 21-11 lead with 8:17 remaining in the opening period.

The Mules gradually chipped away at the lead and trailed by only two (30-28) at the break.

In the second half, the two sides went back-and-forth with Gettysburg leading by as many as five at 16:08 (40-35) and Muhlenberg grabbing a five-point advantage of its own at 11:28 (53-48). The Bullets went on a 7-0 run at that point as a three-pointer by Fields tied the game for the seventh time and back-to-back free throws by Drechsler gave the hosts a 55-53 lead with 7:42 left.

Gettysburg's advantage was short-lived as Alexandra Chili nailed two free throws to knot the contest for the eighth and final time at 55. The Mules then went on to connect on each of their next six shots from the field over the course of the final 6:21 to play with Boyle pouring in eight of her game-high 21. After starting 1-of-10 from the free throw line, Muhlenberg connected on six of its final seven attempts to secure the victory.

Drechsler finished 5-of-12 from the field and 6-of-6 at the charity stripe en route to her season high scoring effort, while Fields paced Gettysburg with three three-pointers. Sophomore Caitlin Moser (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) reached double-figures for the fourth time in as many games with 11 points, adding five boards and three assists. Freshman Julie McGrory (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) led the Bullets bench production with six points and four rebounds.

Boyle produced an all-around effort for the Mules, finishing 9-of-15 from the field and adding four rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals. Chili fueled the Muhlenberg comeback with five three-pointers and was perfect from the free throw line (4-for-4) en route to 19 points. Kelly McKeon also notched double-figures with 12 points, adding seven boards and five assists.

Gettysburg will look to bounce back following Thanksgiving with another tough conference contest at home against Dickinson College on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m.