The Muhlenberg women's basketball team was held to just one field goal in the final 9:37 of a 63-58 setback at Swarthmore.
 
The Mules (10-10, 8-7) drop into a three-way tie for fourth in the Centennial Conference with the Garnet (12-9, 9-7) and Dickinson; each team has seven losses with Swarthmore and Dickinson each playing an extra game. Muhlenberg is 1-1 against both teams. The trio sits one game back of Johns Hopkins and two games ahead of Franklin & Marshall in the loss column.
 
The Garnet took its first lead since 12-9 late in the first quarter on a three-pointer with 2:58 left in the fourth, one possession before a Tara Szawaluk jumper from the corner – which proved to be the game's final field goal –  tied the game at 56. The rest of the scoring came from the free throw line, with Swarthmore converting 7 of 9 attempts over the final 2:09, compared to the Mules making just one trip to the charity stripe in that span.
 
The Mules led for most of the game courtesy of a 46.9-percent shooting effort over the course of the second and third quarters. Muhlenberg expanded a 14-12 lead after the first quarter to a 31-22 halftime lead by shooting 8-of-17 from the field in the second quarter, including converting their last three attempts on layups from sophomores Mikaela McGarvey, Amanda Gorski and Margaux Eripret. Eripet's layup from the left of the basket beat the buzzer.
 
Continuing to shoot well into the third quarter, the Mules opened a game-high 12-point lead three minutes into the third quarter on a three from senior Emily O'Mahoney. The Garnet responded by pulling within three midway through the frame; however, an 11-6 Muhlenberg run highlighted by six points from McGarvey put the Mules up 51-43 heading into the fourth quarter.

Gorski laid in the first points of the fourth quarter to give Muhlenberg a 53-43 lead.
 
As a team, the Mules shot 39.3 percent from the floor, their highest team shooting percentage since November.
 
McGarvey (pictured above) led the Mules with 14 points on the night and was joined in double figures by classmates Eripret (12) and Gorski (10).