Gettysburg saw a 16-point lead dwindle to two, but the Warriors were able to hold on for a 45-36 win over Merion Mercy in the PIAA Class AAA girls' basketball first round on Saturday afternoon.
Up next for Gettysburg (20-5) is the winner of the Eastern York-Prep Charter game in Wednesday's second round. Sites and times are to be announced.
Cami Boehner scored seven points in a row midway through the third period to give the Warriors a 30-14 lead. She started her own personal run with a 3-pointer two steps back from the arc, and followed that with a jumper in the lane and a layup.
Boehner led all players with 21 points despite not scoring in the first 10 minutes of the game and going just 7-for-14 from the free throw line.
"She had an off night shooting, and still scored 21," Gettysburg head coach Casey Thurston said. "She played great defense and getting after the ball also."
The Warriors were still ahead 32-21 after the third quarter, but Merion Mercy scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter. Tina DiGiacomo, who led the Golden Bears with 13 points, made a jumper to make the score 32-28 with 6:22 to go.
Two free throws by DiGiacomo made it a one-possession game, 34-32 with 4:12 left.
Merion Mercy head coach Rob Baxter said that the key to the comeback was defense.
"We started to guard them a little better," Baxter said. "We needed to get them to go to their left, and they were getting to their right to much [earlier in the game]."
Boehner made her second trey of the game to give Gettysburg a little breathing room, but two free throws by Julianne D'Orazo made it a one-possession game again, 37-34 with 2:58 to play.
But the Warriors scored the next seven points. Larissa Felton made a free throw to make it a two-possession game, 38-34, with 2:34 on the clock.
With Merion Mercy turning the ball over on the next possession, and Maddie Weikert then pulling in two defensive rebounds with four fouls, Boehner scored the next six points with a field goal and four free throws.
"Rebounding was an issue for us the whole second half, but we got some when we needed them," Thurston said.
Point guard Ellen Bair scored all eight of her points for Gettysburg in the first nine minutes of the game. Her 3-pointer in the opening seconds of the second quarter put the Warriors ahead 14-6.
"I wanted to make sure the ball was in my hands," Bair said. "They definitely were taking Cami away so it was my opportunity to step up."
VIDEO: The entire post-game interview with Bair
Boehner scored her first points after that, making a jumper to put Gettysburg up 16-6 with 5:36 left in the second period. After that, Bair spent most of her time looking for her teammates instead of her own shot.
"She can score whenever she feels like it," Thurston said. "She's a player that would rather give the ball to Cami or a forward and get an assist instead of two points."
Caroline Corzel had 10 points for Merion Mercy, including the only two 3-point baskets for the Golden Bears.
DiGiacomo led all players with 11 rebounds.
Arianna Camel had six boards for Gettysburg.
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