BOX SCORE

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Feb. 14, 2009) - Alvernia University (15-7, 10-4) opened up an 18-2 lead and never trailed in a 71-54 win over Wilkes University (10-13, 5-10) Saturday afternoon in Freedom Conference women's basketball action at the Marts Center.  Alvernia sophomore Kelli McIntyre (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) led all scorers with 26 points, and Lil Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) added 16 on 8-of-9 shooting.

McIntyre scored eight points during the opening run and Snyder capped it with a jumper that up the Crusaders up 18-2 with 11:48 left in the half.  Wilkes closed the gap to eight points with a 10-2 run over the next five minutes, but Alvernia had it up to 17 points, 33-16 on another Snyder jumper.

Wilkes closed the second half deficit to nine points on two occasions with under 10 to play, but the Colonels got no closer the rest of the way.

The Colonels had five players score seven or more with no one surpassing 10.  Alvernia freshman Allison Toczylowski (Mantua, N.J./Clearview Regional) continued her assault on the glass pulling down a game-best 11 boards.

Alvernia remains tied with Manhattanville for second place in the Freedom Conference behind DeSales University (19-4, 13-1) which dispatched of Eastern University earlier Saturday afternoon to wrap up the top seed and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Valiants hold the tiebreaker over Alvernia by virtue of a season sweep, so the Crusaders need at least one Manhattanville loss against either Misericordia today or King's or FDU next week to have a shot at the second seed.

Alvernia will travel to FDU next Tuesday and finish the season at home against DeSales next Saturday.

Alvernia 71, Wilkes 54