Women's Basketball Runs Away with Home Opener; Downs Middlebury 64-50 to Reach Tip Off Championship

SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Sophomore Katie Lytle put up her second straight double-double, dropping a game-leading 20 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Swarthmore women's basketball team (2-0) to a big 64-50 victory over Middlebury College (0-1) in its home opener on Saturday afternoon from Tarble Pavilion.

With the win, Swarthmore moves on to the Tip-Off Tournament championship game on Sunday against Stevens (3:00 pm).

Middlebury jumped out in front of the Garnet early, taking a 15-8 lead through the first nine minutes of play.  Swarthmore fired right back, going on an 18-0 scoring run over the next eight minutes, capped off by an and-one play by Lytle to put the Garnet up 26-15 with 3:44 left in the half.

The Panthers wouldn't go away though, cutting Swarthmore's lead down to 27-21 going into half with a 6-1 run of its own.

After Middlebury scored the first points of the second half to cut the lead to four, Swarthmore answered with an 8-0 run thanks to junior Eliza Polli's first three-pointer of the game and another and-one from Lytle to finish the run.

Polli finished the game with 11 points and went four-for-nine from the field.

Just when it looked as if Swat was running away with the game, the Panthers stormed back with eight of the next ten points to get within six points of the Garnet.

Middlebury hung with Swarthmore, exchanging baskets over the next ten minutes of play to stay within eight points but senior Nicole Rizzo sealed the deal with 1:58 to play, draining a three to put Swarthmore up 14, a lead that stuck. 

Senior Genny Pezzola and sophomore Kayla Moritzky each added eight points in the game.  Pezzola led the team from behind the arc, going two-for-four.

Sophomore Stephanie Lechich went three-for-four from the field, scoring seven for Swat.

The Garnet return to the court on Sunday, November 20 to defend its Tip-Off Tournament title when squares off against Stevens Tech in the championship game.  Play is slated to begin at 3:00 PM.