BOX SCORE

Radnor, Pa. (Feb. 1, 2007) – Senior guard Kerry Higgs (Westminster, MD/Westminster) scored a career-high 27 points and Alvernia College hit 34-of-40 free throws in a 79-75 win over Cabrini College Thursday evening in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women’s basketball action at the Dixon Center.

            The Crusaders (12-7, 10-2 PAC) tied the school record for free throws attempted in a game and bettered the previous mark for free throws made by seven.  Higgs hit 13-of-15 free throws and fellow senior Lauren Fortna (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon Catholic), who finished with 13 points hit 9-of-11 free throws.  Four other players went 2-for-2 from the free throw line for the Crusaders.  Freshman guard Joanna Graber (Manalapan, NJ/Notre Dame) hit 5-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc and finished with a career-high 17 points.

            Higgs had previously set her career high with 19 points on Jan. 18 at Neumann College.  Graber’s previous best was 14 points against The College of New Jersey at the Gettysburg Tournament in early January.

            The Crusaders hit 18-of-21 free throws in the first half and Graber his four of her five 3s in the opening frame, but the host Cavaliers (13-7, 9-3 PAC) held a 45-42 lead at the break thanks in part to a 9-of-13 first half effort from beyond the arc.

            Alvernia cranked up the defensive effort in the second half holding Cabrini to 23 percent shooting after the Cavs hit at a 56 percent clip in the first half.  Cabrini hoisted up 39 shots in the second half, 17 of which came from long range.

            Sophomore Nikki Dugan (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) led the Cavaliers with 14 points off the bench.  Kate Ryan (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) scored 13 and Kate Walck (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) added 10.

            Alvernia will return home for a non-conference game with Muhlenberg College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Alvernia 79, Cabrini 75