Drew Squeaks Past Catholic In Women's Hoops

MADISON, N.J. - Two key defensive stands and a game winning free throw from Laura Methvin gave Drew a thrilling 60-59 win over visiting Catholic.  Methvin hit a clutch free throw with five seconds left and Drew didn't allow the Cardinals a shot on their final two possessions as the Rangers completed their weekend sweep of the Landmark's southern duo following yesterday's win over Goucher.  Allison Hartnett led all scorers with 19 and Methvin added 16.  Brianna Peterson had 17 for Catholic. 

The Rangers pulled away near the end of the first half to build a 30-23 lead at the break.  The game was very close throughout the first period, tied for the sixth time at 19-19 with 6:45 left to play in the half before the Rangers went on an 11-4 run to end the half.  Drew spread the scoring around with Jessica Del Vecchio scoring five straight and recording a theft to build a nine point lead prior to Kaitlyn O'Keefe's lay-up with four seconds left to end the half. 

Up seven going into the second period, the Rangers were looking to polish off a relatively easy win in the second half, but to no avail.  Drew continued to hold a sizable lead into the final 12 minutes of play as they went up 47-38 on Ann Mularz's jumper.  The Rangers led by as many as nine five times in the second half as they played solid all-around basketball, using their possessions well and hitting the boards hard.  At the time of Mularz's bucket it seemed possible that Drew would run away, but after being so efficient on the offensive end prior to that point the Green and Blue went cold.  Despite holding the Cardinals to just eight points over the next seven minutes, the Rangers were only score four, allowing Catholic to close to 51-46 with just over five minutes left.

Jessica Reid's pair of free throws put Drew up by seven heading into the final five.  Christina Rogers went off for the Cardinals with six points in the next minute and only Hartnett's lay-up to offset it.  After consecutive Ranger turnovers the Cardinals got a free throw from Briana Peterson at 3:15 and one from Rogers at 3:05 to pull within one.  Emma Grossman's driving lay-up put Drew up 57-54, but Peterson's three tied the game for the first time in over 24 minutes of play.
Rogers put Catholic up for the first time in just as long with a pair of free throws, 59-57.  Allison Hartnett tied the game for the eighth time on the next possession as she hit both crucial free throws.

Tied at 59-59, the Cardinals had the first crack at going ahead, but good defense on the wing from Del Vecchio forced a Cardinal into a bad pass that Ann Mularz picked up with 43 seconds left.  Now Drew had an opportunity to go ahead, but a bad possession ended in a turnover with 40 seconds left. 

After a Catholic time out, the Cardinals got into the offensive end, but Drew's defense, in their biggest stand of the season, prevented Catholic from even attempting a shot, getting the ball back via shot clock violation.  Drew had trouble inbounding the ball on the ensuing effort, but Hartnett saw Methvin just past half court.  Methvin was fouled as she got to the pass giving her a pair of free throws with 5.5 left on the clock.  Though she missed the first, the junior knocked down the second; Catholic took the inbound, got to half court and called time with 2.1 left.  The Ranger D proved itself again, swarming the inbounds and preventing Catholic from getting the game winning attempt off as Drew won its second straight over the weekend. 

Allison Hartnett got her scoring shoes back on as she put in 19 points, while Methvin added a big 16 to go with six boards.  Ann Mularz had eight points and ten rebounds and Jess Reid added her usual seven points.  Emma Grossman put in 35 solid minutes of play, scoring five, grabbing five rebounds and handing out a pair of assists.  Peterson led the Cardinals with 17.  Both teams shot well with the Rangers hitting 43% and the Cardinals at 44%.

With the win Drew is now tied for fourth place in the Landmark with USMMA and Susquehanna at 4-5 in the conference.  Drew has already defeated Merchant Marine away this season and lost to Susquehanna, but Drew has both of them at home later this month.  First, Drew will take on William Paterson on Wednesday night in Baldwin.