(Haverford, Pa.) – The Dickinson women's basketball team traveled to the Main Line for a key Centennial Conference match-up with first-place Haverford College on Saturday afternoon. The teams battled back-and-forth all afternoon with Haverford coming out on top in the end, 65-57.

The hosts took a 5-0 lead but the Red Devils answered to keep pace in the early minutes. The 'Fords looked to gain some separation but first-year Hannah Heiring (Wayzata, Minn./Wayzata) made nice move to the basket and classmate Emily Padalino (West Sand Lake, N.Y./Albany Academy) knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one, 16-15, at the end of the first quarter.

Dickinson opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run to pull in front, 22-16, on a three-pointer from Padalino and back-to-back scores inside from junior Kassidy Lesher (Shoemakersville, Pa./Hamburg).

The teams traded three-pointers with Helen Roberts (Oakton, Va./Oakton) and Heiring adding a pair to give Dickinson a 28-21 advantage with 4:11 to play in the first half.

Senior Mary Martin (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale) stretched the margin to 30-21, but the 'Fords countered with three straight scores, to pull within three at halftime, 30-27.

The teams traded baskets to start the third quarter and Mackenzie Skerritt (Hightstown, Pa./The Peddie School) hit a three-pointer to give the Devils a 35-31 lead.

Berkel scored and Macy Goldbach hit a three-pointer from the corner to put Haverford back in front, 36-35. The 'Fords struck again before Martin and Roberts scored on back-to-back possessions for a 39-38 lead, with 3:01 remaining in the third quarter.

Haverford answered with back-to-back field-goals and Lauren McBride (Trenton, N.J./Gill St. Bernard's) buried a three-pointer to knot the game, 42-42. The hosts closed out the period with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws to lead 47-42, heading into the fourth.

The Red Devils took advantage of their first possession in the fourth as Martin drove to the basket and completed a three-point play. McBride netted a pair of free throws to tie the game once again, with 9:02 remaining.

McBride countered two scores from Haverford with a three-pointer from the wing and banked a short jumper to put Dickinson back up, 52-51. The lead flipped-flopped as Berkel scored and McBride dished an assist to Lesher, who buried a jumper from the baseline.

Goldbach was there again for another triple to put Haverford in front, 56-54, with 5:19 on the clock. Katie Cook hit a three-pointer and Samantha Wetzel extended the margin to seven. Martin converted a free throw but Berkel struck again for a 63-55 lead with under two minutes remaining in the game.

Cook hit two free throws to make it a 10-point game with 39 seconds left to play. Padalino pulled down an offensive rebound and scored for the final of 65-57.

Berkel led Haverford with a game-high 20 points as the 'Fords improve to 14-5 overall and 11-3 in the conference.

McBride led the Red Devils with 13 points behind a trio of three-pointers. Martin reached double-figures, scoring 10 points and controlling five rebounds.

Roberts tallied eight points and a game-high six assists while Padalino added eight points as well. Skerritt finished with seven and Lesher pulled down 10 rebounds to go with six points on the day.

The Red Devils slip to 12-7 overall and 9-5 in the conference. They return home to face McDaniel College on Wednesday night with a 6:00 pm tip-off.