BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Feb. 4, 2008) – Alvernia College placed five players in double figures Monday evening led by freshman Alex Velazquez (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) with 14 en route to an 83-55 win over Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women's basketball action at the Physical Education Center.

Both teams struggled to find the range in the early going with the first four minutes featuring five combined turnovers and just six points. Alvernia freshman Kelli McIntyre (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) got things started with a jumper and added a 3 to put the Crusaders (8-12, 7-4 PAC) up 5-1.

McIntyre hit two free throws and Ana Nieves (Reading, Pa./Greater Bedford) scored her first two of the night before Cedar Crest freshman Leann Wallower (Haverford, Pa./Haverford) rattled off seven straight points to close the gap to one, 11-10, with 13:14 left in the opening half.

Alvernia answered with stifling defense that held the Falcons off the board for the next six minutes while the hosts ran away with a 16-0 run. Freshman reserve Lil Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) scored seven points to pace the Crusaders, and the defense forced five turnovers during the streak.

Cedar Crest temporarily stopped the streaking Crusaders with a 3 from Lauren Seale (Wilmington, Del./Wilmington), but Alvernia came back with seven of the next nine, capped by a Joanna Graber (Manalapan, N.J./Notre Dame) 3 that put the hosts up 19, 34-15, with four minutes left in the first.

Cedar Crest once again put together a small run cutting the deficit to 13 points, but seven straight for the Crusaders sparked by a Michelle Lutzkanin (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) 3 built a 20-point lead, the largest of the half, with 1:21 showing on the clock.

Wallower, the leading scorer in the first half with 16 points, scored on the Falcons last possession to trim the lead to 18 points, 41-23 at the break. Alvernia forced 19 Falcon turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and held a decisive 16-2 advantage in points off turnovers at halftime.

McIntyre was well on her way to a solid stat line in just her third game back from a foot injury with nine points, six rebounds, and three assists in the first half. Wallower was 5-for-10 from the floor and the Falcons held a 24-18 advantage on the boards at the break.

The Crusaders slowly build the lead over 30 points, holding a 37-point lead, the largest of the night 63-26 with 10:33 to play. Cedar Crest closed inside 30 a few times in the final five minutes before Alvernia settled for the 28-point win.

Alvernia senior Jill Rosolie (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) finished with 13 points, Rachel Koerner (Bel Air, Md./Harford Tech) added a career-high 12, and McIntyre and Snyder finished with 11 each. Wallover led all scorers with 24 points.

Alvernia will travel to Gwynedd-Mercy Thursday for an important women's and men's doubleheader with the Griffins.

Alvernia 83, Cedar Crest 55