WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS.— Williams (18-7, 9-2 NESCAC) got their first playoff win this afternoon, beating Bates (13-11, 5-6 NESCAC), 62-55. Though both teams made 23 shots throughout the game, the Ephs got to the free throw line early, scoring eight more from the stripe than the Bobcats to take the win.
The Ephs held the lead all game, but the Bobcats had a chance to take it back in the fourth. Though Williams’ Mia Holtze started the fourth on fire, sinking jumpers on the Ephs’ first and second possessions of the quarter, Bates wouldn’t let their playoff run end so easily.
Starting with a layup at 9:27, Alexandra Long scored ten points in a row for the Bobcats from a variety of spots on the floor. Her tenacity pushed on her teammates, who contributed nine more before the end of the game. The seven point deficit at the end of play was the closest the Bobcats had been since the first quarter.
The game didn’t look so sure at the beginning of play. Bates got the tip and started on a strong note. Meghan Graff— the NESCAC’s 2nd leading scorer— came to a jump stop and then launched into a floater for the game’s first two points. However, Williams would soon push forward and take the lead.
The Ephs’ scoring started off on the very next possession, as Ryann Taylor drove left to right and used a short hook to put the ball in the hoop. Maddy Mandyck followed this up with two buckets in the lane, giving Williams a 6-2 lead.
For the next three minutes, the teams stayed neck-and-neck, scoring four apiece. The stalemate was broken in favor of the Ephs largely due to the hustle of Cortland McBarron, who pulled down three offensive boards before finishing through contact for an and-one layup. The Ephs went on to score 21 to Bates 12 in the quarter— they outrebounded the Bobcats, and committed fewer fouls on the way.
Williams started the second quarter with the same strength. Devin Biesbrock drove left and laid the ball up for two. Arianna Gerig and Maddy Mandyck added points of their own— 4 and 2 respectively. The Bobcats grew more steady as the quarter went on, scoring ten more to the Ephs’ eight. At the end of the half, the score stood at 37-23 Williams. A steep deficit, but not unsurmountable. Notably, Meghan Graff had picked up three fouls in the half, a fact that may have curtailed her aggressiveness throughout most of the game.
The third was neck-and-neck. Graff picked her fourth foul early, but her teammate Alexandra Long picked up the slack, scoring five of the Bobcats’ first seven in the quarter. The Ephs kept up, adding five of their own. Still, momentum looked like it might tip in favor of Bates, so Eph head coach Pat Manning called for a 30 second timeout after Long’s fifth point.
Though the Bobcats scored four more points after the timeout, the Ephs regrouped and scored eight more points to finish out the quarter. After both teams had their moments, the deficit still stood at 14.
Alexandra Long kept up her scoring in the fourth, but the Ephs fought back. On top of Holtze’s scoring, Mandyck added five points (including a buzzer-beating three at 6:48) before the game’s end. Four Ephs broke double digit scoring: Holtze, Mandyck, Gerig, and Cortland McBarron, who had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals while keeping Graff to 11 points. Her hustle drew fouls from Graff— many were frustration fouls committed outside of the Ephs’ offensive possessions.
“I just want to point out Cortland McBarron,” said Eph head coach Pat Manning following the game. “I mean she was phenomenal on the defensive end. Meghan Graff is the second leading scorer in the conference and the all time leading scorer at Bates, we held her to eleven and five of those were late. Cortland always has the toughest defensive assignment and she just did great today.”
Coach Manning gave shoutouts to the team’s seniors as well: “Maddy and Mia played well today, and Devin’s just been unbelievable, running the show. Devin just gets better and better each game. I’m thrilled for our seniors. This was a goal of ours, to be able to host the first round, and now it’s a chance to win it all.”
The Ephs will now play Trinity in their next matchup, who they narrowly beat by one point the last time they faced off. Manning commented on the team’s outlook going into the game. “That was a tough game, we don’t want to go down 18-4 like we did last time,” she said. “We know we can play them better than we did the first time around. They’re very talented, and it’s going to be a great game, but I’m just happy with how we’ve been playing lately. We’ve talked about rebounding and defense all year, and that’s why we’re in the position we’re in. I’m just so proud of our team for all the work they put in day in and day out. It’s every player— we have 14 players that just give their heart and soul to this.”
The Ephs will play their semifinal match against #3 seeded Trinity next Saturday at 4:30 PM. The game will take place at the #1 seed Tufts, who will host the rest of the championship.
