BOX SCORE

Hackettstown, N.J. (Jan. 28, 2008) – Centenary College put five players in double figures to offset career highs from Alvernia sophomore Joanna Graber (Manalapan, N.J./Notre Dame) and freshman Lil Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) and earned a 74-71 victory in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women's basketball action at the Folkner Family Gymnasium.

Centenary (9-5, 5-3 PAC) senior Stephanie Roberts (Bakersfield, Pa./South) scored on a layup with 89 seconds left to break a 68-all tie, the 10th of the night, and the Cyclones made four free throws in the final minute to keep the Crusaders at bay. Snyder corralled the rebound on an Alvernia missed free throws with 16 seconds left and the Crusaders set up a play for a 3-point attempt from Allee Barnes (Blooming Glen, Pa./Pennridge) with seven ticks left, but the shot bounced into Roberts' hands and she held on as time expired.

Alvernia (5-12, 4-4 PAC), which laid a 108-80 thumping on Centenary 11 days ago, jumped out to a 10-point lead with just under eight minutes left in the first half. Graber and senior Jill Rosolie (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) led the way early for the Crusaders with nine points each and it was Rosolie's layup at 7:48 that put the guests up 10, 30-20.

Alvernia pushed its advantage back to nine points with 88 ticks left on the first-half clock after the Cyclones cut it to four, but the hosts got a jumper from Ayana Way (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens), who ended the night with a team-high 20, and a layup from Laura Feigus (Colts Neck, N.J./St. Rose) to pull within five at the break, 37-32.

The Crusaders, who entered Monday night's game with a 5-1 mark in games they lead at the break, saw the advantage evaporate in the opening four minutes of the second half. Roberts accounted for the first four points, all from the free throw line, and Kristen Camuso (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph's by the Sea) scored on a layup to give the lead back to the Cyclones, 38-37.

Alvernia freshman Alex Velazquez (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) scored two of her 14 to regain the lead and the score remained on the seesaw for a few possessions before Feigus hit a 3 to push the gap to four for the hosts, 45-41.

Alvernia junior Michelle Lutzkanin (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) knocked down her only 3 of the night to answer and Velazquez followed with two from the charity stripe to regain the lead. The Crusaders finished the night 25-for-36 from the line, marking the third time this season Alvernia has hoisted up 35 or more free throws and the most since taking 36 in a loss to Kean University in St. Thomas over the winter break.

Centenary needed all of eight seconds to regain the lead on a Roberts bucket, and built a five-point cushion scoring six straight capped by back-to-back layups from Feigus and Way. Alvernia responded with a 6-0 run of its own to regain the lead and the spread stayed within a possession for most of the rest of the way.

Alvernia senior Ashley Blevins (York, Pa./Central York) forged the fourth tie of the night at the 8:23 mark with the first of two free throws and the score was tied six more times over the next five-plus minutes, the last time on Way's jumper which accounted for the 68-all knot.

The hosts turned the ball over twice in the next 90 seconds, but Alvernia failed to forge ahead and Roberts nailed the pivotal bucket at 1:29. She followed with a free throw for a three-point edge, but Velazquez answered with two of her own.

A single free throw from Roberts put the Cyclones up 72-70 with 36 seconds left, but Alvernia turned the ball over on its next possession, one of just 14 for the night, but a costly one at that. This time the maroon and gold sent Camuso to the line and she nailed both for a four-point lead. Rosolie hit the first of two from the free throw line and Snyder corralled the rebound, just her second of the night, to set up the final play, but the Crusaders were unable to force the extra period.

Graber and Snyder finished with 20 and 10 respectively and were joined in double digits by Velazquez (14 points) and Rosolie (11). Roberts finished with 15 points despite shooting just 4-of-14 from the floor while Camuso and Feigus scored 12 apiece and Leah Murphy (Hamburg, N.Y./Mount Mercy Academy) added 11.

Alvernia will return to action Thursday at Marywood as part of a 6:00 and 8:00 doubleheader looking to break a four-game losing skid.

Centenary 74, Alvernia 71