BRYN MAWR, Pa. – The Bryn Mawr basketball team put up a strong first half against Swarthmore earlier Saturday afternoon at the Class of 1958 Gymnasium as the Owls took four leads against the Garnet. Yet a 19 point run for the visiting team spelled trouble for Bryn Mawr as Swarthmore won the conference match-up 56-39.

The Owls were led by Jessica Smith and Michelle Jiang with 13 points apiece.

Highlights:

• Smith took the Owls' first lead of the afternoon on a 3-pointer followed by another 3-pointer by Cameron Richter to bring the scoreboard to 6-4 in Bryn Mawr's favor. Swarthmore managed to make the next five baskets to regain the lead at 12-6.
• Smith and fellow junior Hannah Binder paced Bryn Mawr in the second quarter with two baskets each. The teams traded points back and forth throughout, but the Owls managed to take two leads with layups by Binder and Smith. Yet, a four-basket run for the Garnet resulted in a 25-21 lead at the end of the first half.
• Jiang led the Owls with seven points as they returned from halftime, but the Garnet managed 19 points to take a 15 point lead despite a 3-pointer by Jiang with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.
• Bryn Mawr had a strong start to the final stanza as Binder opened with two made free throws followed by a layup by Jiang. Smith and first-year Jessica Silver added baskets of their own, but consistent shooting by the Garnet ultimately kept the visiting team ahead.

The Owls will take a break for the holidays and return to the court on January 6^th as they welcome McDaniel to campus.