BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Dec. 4, 2006) – Senior guard Lauren Fortna (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon) reached the 20-point plateau for the third straight game with a game-high 22, and Alvernia College used a 27-9 second-half run en route to an 81-55 win over Rosemont College Monday evening in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women’s basketball action at the Physical Education Center.

            Rosemont cut a 10-point halftime deficit down to four points early in the second half and were down seven points, 46-39 with 13:19 to go before the Crusaders (4-3, 3-0 PAC) went on a run that lasted 8:19 and left the hosts up 73-48 with exactly five minutes left in the game.  Fortna scored eight of her 22 points during the run and Ashley Blevins (York, PA/Central York) added five of her career-high 13 as the Crusaders pulled away.

            Alvernia sophomore Allee Barnes (Blooming Glen, PA/Pennridge) opened the night with a jumper off the tip and Alvernia never trailed.  The Crusaders built a 14-point first half lead when Jill Rosolie (Quarryville, PA/Solanco), Michelle Lutzkanin (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin), and Fortna all nailed 3s during a 9-2 spurt midway through the half.  Rosemont cut that deficit down to seven and when Rosemont senior Katie Linder (Philadelphia, PA/St. Basil Academy) hit 1-of-2 free throws with under a minute left, the Crusaders were left with a 40-30 lead at the break.

            Eleven different Crusaders found their way into the scoring column and senior reserve Erin Knarr (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson) grabbed a team-high six boards as Alvernia enjoyed a 40-30 edge in rebounding.  Linder scored a game-high 23 for the Ramblers (2-4, 1-2 PAC), Cecelia Saunders (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) added 16, and Andrea Boyle (Swarthmore, PA/Cardinal O’Hara) scored 12.

            Alvernia improved to 18-0 in the all-time series and will have nearly a month off before playing The College of New Jersey in day one action at the Gettysburg Tournament on January 3.

Alvernia 81, Rosemont 55