The Muhlenberg women’s basketball team had a busy week, with games against Swarthmore and Franklin & Marshall (F&M). Although the Mules defeated F&M and fell to Swarthmore, the team played with all their energy in both matchups.
Caroline Horst ‘24 touched upon the strategy the team had for both of their games. Horst said, “We prepared for both games by scouting the offensive sets of Swarthmore and F&M. I think during the Swarthmore game there were points where we struggled offensively and dug ourselves into a deeper hole by forcing shots and passes that were not open. During F&M we played better together in sticking to what we do best and saw a lot more success.”
Their first game was against Swarthmore and while the game did not go the way they wanted, they know how to improve. Rachel Saxton ‘25 said, “The Swarthmore game did not go in our favor and I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that we weren’t executing on offense or hitting our shots. But, that is the game of basketball.” Despite the game not resulting in a win, the Mules knew what they had to do to get a win next time.
After the Swarthmore game, it was back to Memorial Hall to go up against Franklin & Marshall. Emily Unger ’25 said, “Our game against Swarthmore definitely didn’t go as we hoped it would and I think we were all frustrated after. I think this really showed in our next game against Franklin & Marshall. We knew what we needed to work on, we came into the game ready to play, and we executed. I’m definitely proud that we were able to look past our game versus Swarthmore; we used it to get better and as motivation in our game versus Franklin & Marshall. One of the things that needs to be worked on as a team is our consistency, and maintaining that urgency in all our games.”
The win against Franklin & Marshall was a big factor for the Mules as they are pushing toward the end of their season. Saxton talked about the strategies for both of the games and how it affected the team’s performance. She said, “Our strategies for each game we play include offensive execution, defensive awareness and communication, and focus and energy. I believe every game we achieve these goals and we’re such a close team that when things go wrong, we have each other’s backs.”
The Mules are looking forward to the playoff push. Ava Connolly ’25 talked about what it means to be in the hunt for the playoffs. She said, “The team is looking good for the playoffs. If we win the next three out of four games, we should have a spot. What will separate us from the rest is just staying disciplined and not letting ourselves fall into bad habits. There have been many games where, when things are not going our way it creates a chain reaction and brings the whole team down. We have to be able to take the hits but keep pushing towards our goals no matter what just happened.”
Rachel Saxton also touched upon what it means to be in the playoff hunt. Saxton said, “The team is definitely focused and we’re looking for a playoff spot. The next few games are big in terms of getting into playoffs and seeding but I have a lot of faith in this team and my teammates and I think the goal right now is to go game by game and do what we do best which is play Muhlenberg basketball. “
The Mules are well-positioned to continue their push into the playoffs, as the remainder of their games are approaching. Unger said, “We all know how important these next few games are, and we know what we need to do to win. This is what we have been working towards all season, we just need to play together and execute.”
