Box Score

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Gettysburg closed the gap to two with 46 seconds left, but the Bullets were unable to find the bottom of the net again as host Muhlenberg survived for a 62-57 victory inside Memorial Hall in a Centennial Conference women's basketball showdown on Saturday.
 
Senior Caroline Murphy (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) led four Bullets in double-figures with 13 points. She also grabbed 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the campaign. Junior Samantha Pagel (Harleysville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) chipped in with a career-high 12 points and six rebounds, while senior Rianna Doane (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) turned in 11 points and a personal best nine boards. Senior Alyssa Isler (New Hope, Pa./New Hope-Solebury) added 10 points.
 
Leanna Tallamy led all scorers with 23 points for Muhlenberg (6-6, 3-3 CC). Erin Laney added 10 points and seven boards for the Mules.
 
It was a typical back-and-forth battle in the first half between these two squads, with the lead changing hand seven times. After falling behind 11-10, Gettysburg (7-4, 3-3 CC) went on a 9-0 run to take a 19-11 lead with 9:30 before the half. The advantage was short-lived as the hosts reeled off the next eight points to tie the game.
 
The Bullets aimed to take a lead into the break as Doane canned a three-pointer with 59 seconds left to set the score at 30-29. The pendulum swung the other way, however, as Laney dumped in a lay-up with five seconds to go to give the Mules a 31-30 lead.
 
Muhlenberg maintained the advantage for the whole of the second period despite continued pressure by Gettysburg. The Bullets cut the deficit to one point several times, the last on a lay-up by Pagel that made it 47-46 just past the midpoint of the half.
 
The Mules appeared ready to put the game away with a 12-4 run over the next six minutes, but Gettysburg wasn't quite ready to pack things up. Trailing 59-50 with 3:25 left, the visitors churned out the next seven points with a steal and lay-up by Murphy setting the score at 59-57 with 46 seconds left.
 
Muhlenberg canned just half of its six free throw attempts during the remaining time, but the Bullets couldn't take advantage, missing three shots in the final 17 seconds.
 
Gettysburg was held to 31.3 percent (21-of-67) shooting from the floor, including 26.9 percent (7-of-26) from beyond the arc. Muhlenberg connected on 40.7 percent (22-of-54) of its shots won the battle of the boards 44-40.
 
The Bullets return to action at Haverford College on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m.