BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Feb. 2, 2008) – Sophomore guard Joanna Graber (Manalapan, N.J./Notre Dame) scored nine of her career-high tying 20 points during a pivotal run late in the second half that helped Alvernia post a 91-83 win over Neumann College Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women's basketball action at the Physical Education Center.

Graber knocked down 6-of-10 shots from the floor including three 3s. The team finished 11-for-16 from behind the arc, but Graber, freshman Kelli McIntyre (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain), and junior Michelle Lutzkanin (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) combined to hit 11-of-14 from long range. Lutzkanin hit 5-of-7 and McIntyre was perfect on three attempts including a 30-footer.

Graber scored on a layup with 6:41 to play that gave cushion to a tenuous three point lead and she doubled the lead two minutes later with her third 3 of the day. Her two free throws with 1:07 to play closed her scoring for the day and gave the Crusaders breathing room for the final minute of play.

The first half was ruled by runs and despite shooting 52 percent from the floor, Neumann found itself on the wrong end of an 11-point gap at the break, 45-34. Alvernia posted the first significant run of the day going on a 9-0 run to turn a 6-5 deficit into a 14-6 lead with 13 minutes left on the clock. Ana Nieves (Reading, Pa./Greater New Bedford) started the run with back-to-back layups and Lutzkanin hit her first of two first-half 3s to keep it going.

The Alvernia lead grew to nine on two occasions and 12 points, 29-17, with 7:33 showing before Neumann quickly put together an 8-0 run in just over 60 seconds to trim the gap to four. Caitlin Agnew (Philadelphia, Pa./Little Flower) started it with a bucket and the Alvernia defense lost Coleen Healy (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) on back-to-back possessions and the 5-9 sophomore stroked a pair of 3s to quiet the home crowd.

Alvernia senior Ashley Blevins (York, Pa./Eastern York) scored all six of her first-half points over the next three-plus minutes, and the Crusaders pushed the lead back to 13 points with an 11-2 streak.

Neumann answered with a 5-0 spurt led by three from Agnew and had the gap down to eight with a minute to go. A series of five turnovers ensued with both teams having a chance to hold for the last shot of the half. The last turnover was a steal for Nieves who tossed the ball to McIntyre who threw up a runner from 30 feet that put Alvernia up 11 at the break.

McIntyre opened the second half with a pair of free throws and four minutes later hit her second 3 of the day for a 15-point Alvernia lead. Her next 3 maintained the 15-point spread, but Neumann answered with a 7-0 run capped by Agnew's 3-point play.

Alvernia built the lead back to a dozen at the 10:38 mark and again with nine minutes to play, but once again the Knights responded, this time with back-to-back Healy 3s that sparked an 11-2 run that pulled the guests within three with 7:10 to play.

Graber pushed the lead to five with a layup and scored five straight for the Crusaders for an 80-72 lead with 4:19 to play.

Other than a pair of Krista DiRomualdo (Eddyston, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) free throws at 4:11, neither team scored in a two minute stretch before Alvernia freshman August Reichardt (Kenhorst, Pa./Governor Mifflin) hit two free throws for an eight point lead.

Neumann answered with a bucket, but didn't close to within four points until Heely knocked down her fifth 3 of the day for an 85-81 count. Reichardt again hit two free throws and McIntyre closed the scoring with a layup.

Alvernia will host Cedar Crest College on Monday evening in a single PAC game at 7:00 p.m. That game will be webcast live at http://athletics.alvernia.edu.

Alvernia 89, Neumann 81