Muhlenberg women's basketball set a historical benchmark by winning the team's third straight and 10th overall Centennial Conference championship.
In defeating Gettysburg 74-61, Muhlenberg became the first school in CC women's basketball history to ever "three-peat" while also extending its already conference-record total number of CC titles. Muhlenberg has now won eight of its last nine CC championship game appearances as well.
The Mules (20-7) came back from a first-period deficit, outscoring the Bullets 20-9 in the second period to enter halftime with a five-point lead. Muhlenberg extended its advantage in the third period and held off a final Bullets (20-8) push in the fourth period to seal the victory.
Muhlenberg earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with the victory and awaits announcement Monday on its opponent and destination for its first-round game.
Junior Brandi Vallely earned Tournament MVP honors for the second straight season, following up a double-double performance in the semifinal with an all-around effort of 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Vallely in her career now has 452 assists, moving her into fifth on the conference's all-time list and only two assists away from breaking the school record.
Junior Chelsea Gary put up her own double-double in the championship, also scoring 18 points while gathering 14 rebounds and blocking her 99th and 100th career shots. Sophomore Carley Hamiltonstepped up with 12 points and junior Rachel Plotke added 10 points as well. Sophomore Sara Dilly was ferocious on the boards, tying her career high of 11 rebounds while also contributing six points.
The Mules jumped out to an early 7-4 advantage midway through the first period, but Gettysburg climbed back and eventually took a 20-14 lead at the end of one quarter. Hamilton and Gary combined for the next five points to get within one and a Gary layup with 5:05 left gave Muhlenberg a lead which it would never relinquish.
Muhlenberg entered halftime leading 34-29 and expanded the advantage to as many as ten after Hamilton sank a layup to make it 44-34. Gettysburg however drained two three-pointers before a Maggie Zerbe layup, and then hit a third triple to cut it back to three. Plotke responded right back with two three-pointers of her own, starting a 10-0 run for the Mules making it 56-43 at the end of three quarters.
The Bullets scored the first nine points of the final period to bring the lead back to four with less than six minutes left. The Muhlenberg defense clamped down from there, only allowing two points over a four-minute stretch while building a 65-54 lead after two Vallely free throws. Starting with two technical foul makes by Plotke, the Mules sank 14 of 18 free throws on its way to a championship celebration.
The Mules dominated Gettysburg 49-28 on the boards, including an 18-6 advantage on the offensive glass that led to a 21-3 difference on second-chance points for the Mules. Muhlenberg held the team leading the conference in field-goal percentage coming into the game to under 40 percent shooting as well.
Muhlenberg improved its record to 10-4 in CC championship games, 24-13 in all CC playoff games and 2-0 against Gettysburg in the title match. In only the third championship in CC history on a totally neutral floor, Muhlenberg has beaten Gettysburg in two of those games (2008 and 2017).