BOX SCORE

Swarthmore, Pa. (Nov. 22, 2008) - Sophomore forward Alex Velazquez (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) scored a game-high 20 points, but just seven of those came after the halftime break as Alvernia University (2-2) was held to 22 second-half points in a 68-59 loss to #21 Mary Washington Saturday evening in first round action of the Swarthmore College Women's Basketball Tip-Off Tournament.

MWU, ranked 21st by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, scored 31 points in the second half after both teams posted 37 in the first.  Alvernia sophomores Kelli McIntyre (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) and Lil Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) joined Velazquez in double figures with 15 and 11 respectively while MWU got a team-best 15 from Katy Larson.

McIntyre scored back-to-back buckets midway through the first half to fuel a 6-0 run that put Alvernia up eight, and four minutes later Snyder completed the rare four-point play to give the Crusaders their largest lead of the night, a 10-point edge, 32-22, but Mary Washington showed why it is so highly regarded erasing that lead in just over a minute.

Rachel Martin started the streak with a 3 followed by a short range jumper and Larson added a pair of 3s as the Eagles took the lead back, 33-32.  A free throw made it 34-32, but McIntyre hit a 3 and Velazquez a jumper before Katie Clarkin scored the final bucket of the half, a 3 that sent the teams to the break tied at 37-all.

A jumper by junior Joanna Graber (Manalapan, N.J./Notre Dame) six and a half minutes into the second half gave Alvernia a 45-44 lead, but it was the last it would have as MWU came back with a pair of 3s to take a five-point lead, and later pieced together six straight points for a 14-point lead with 2:27 to play.

Alvernia was able to cut that to seven points with under a minute to go, but got no closer.  The Crusaders will face host Swarthmore College in Sunday's consolation game at 2:00 p.m.

#21 Mary Washington 68, Alvernia 59