Springfield Hands Women's Basketball First Loss of the Season, 55-48, at Naismith Classic

2nd - 00:00	1	2	T
Swarthmore (7-1)	22	26	48
Springfield (2-7)	32	23	55
Springfield, Mass.

Swarthmore	Springfield
Pts: Eliza Polli - 11	Pts: 2 Players (#12, #33 - 16)
Reb: Katie Lytle - 14	Reb: Tamara Tribble - 13
Ast: 4 Players (#13, #22, #32, #33 - 2)	Ast: 3 Players (#10, #22, #31 - 3)

Team Statistics	Swarthmore	Springfield
Field Goal %	22.4% (15-67 )	37.9% (22-58 )
Rebounds	44	51
Assists	8	11
Turnovers	13	18
Pts off Turnovers	6	12
2nd Chance Pts	11	14
Pts in the Paint	14	26
Fastbreak Pts	0	0
Bench Pts	11	19

full stats

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Despite a surge early in the second half, the Swarthmore College women's basketball team took its first loss of the season Tuesday afternoon at the Naismith Classic as Springfield College claimed a 55-48 victory.

Senior Eliza Polli led the Garnet with 11 points, including nine from beyond the arc. Freshman Jessica Jowdy and sophomore Elle Larsen each tossed up nine points in the effort. Junior Katie Lytle grabbed 14 rebounds for Swarthmore (7-1), while Polli and Jowdy each swiped three steals.

Three players reached double-digits for Springfield (2-7), led by a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds from Tamara Tribble, 10 of those points coming in the first half. Heather Lewis notched 16 points as well and Jaimie Bickelhaupt put up 10 points off the bench.

Springfield, losing the lead just once the entire game, shot 48.3 percent from the field in the first half and converted nine points off of turnovers.

In the opening nine minutes the score stayed within a five-point margin, but Lewis hit back-to-back three-pointers to put the Pride ahead by 11 points, 19-8, at the 10:30 mark. The Garnet answered with treys from Polli and Kayla Moritzky, but the Garnet couldn't close the gap below two possessions to finish the first frame.

Shooting just 23.5 percent in the first 20 minutes, the Garnet went into the break down by ten points, 32-22.

The second half began with a surge from the Garnet, going on a 15-4 run to open the first nine minutes of play. Jowdy led the surge with two three-pointers, one of which gave Swarthmore its lone lead of the game, 37-36 at 10:59. Polli claimed five points, while Lytle collected four during the opening run. The Pride shut down the hype with a three-pointer from Meghan Biondolillo at 10:36 to regain the lead.

Swarthmore tied the game once more, 48-48, at the 3:43 mark, but couldn't find the extra push to finish the Pride. Three good free throws from Springfield closed out the game for a final score of 55-48 in the opening game of the Naismith Classic.

The Garnet will return to action tomorrow in the consolation game against Eastern Connecticut. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m.