BOX SCORE

Scranton, PA (Jan. 16, 2006) – Alvernia College held Marywood University to 21 first-half points on 8-of-28 shooting and held off the Pacers for a 72-64 win in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women’s basketball action at Marywood.  Junior forward Erin Knarr (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson) paced the Crusaders (4-9, 3-3 PAC) with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

            After a pair of lead changes in the opening six minutes, Alvernia turned up the defense on a 10-0 run that spanned 4:15.  Sophomore guard Ashley Shrawder (Dalmatia, PA/Line Mountain) scored five points on the run as the Crusaders forced six turnovers and the Pacers suffered five straight misses from the floor.  Marywood stopped the streak with a free throw and cut the Crusaders’ lead to five points, 21-16, with 7:50 left in the opening half.

            Alvernia responded with a 9-0 streak sparked by a 3 from junior Lauren Fortna (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon Catholic), and in a repeat performance, the forced six turnovers and held the Pacers to 0-for-5 from the floor.  The Pacers ended the drought with a 3 from Samantha Christopher (Hazelton, PA/MMI Prep), who finished the night with a game-high 21 points.  The 5-5 sophomore dropped in two more free throws to cut the gap to nine in the final minute of the half and Alvernia junior Camrell Gholston (Westminster, MD/McDonogh School) push the gap back to 10 points, 31-21, with a free throw 38 seconds before the half.

            Alvernia opened the second half with a layup from senior Mandy Reinhart (Pine Grove, PA/Pine Grove) and when Shrawder’s free throw at the 12:23 capped a 5-0 spurt, Alvernia held its largest lead of the night, 18 points, 47-29.  The teams traded buckets over the next two minutes and the host Pacers made their last push of the night with a 17-5 run that cut the Crusaders’ lead to six points with 5:31 to play.  Christopher hit three of her five 3s during the run and Kaelyn Brudnok (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) and Alicia Woodruff (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) threw in four points each.

            Alvernia pushed its lead back to 10 points with a pair of free throws each from Kerry Higgs (Westminster, MD/Westminster) and Maria Williams (Philadelphia, PA/Padua Academy) before another 3 from Christopher.  Fortna followed with two layups to Brudnok’s one and Alvernia hit 8-of-10 free throws in the final two minutes to hold off Marywood.

Alvernia 72, Marywood 64