BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Jan. 30, 2010) - Five different players scored during a decisive 15-4 run midway through the second half for Alvernia University (9-7, 5-3) in a 68-55 win over Elizabethtown College (6-12, 2-6) Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference women's basketball action at the Physical Education Center.

Etown knotted the score at 41-all with 13:48 left and junior Kelli McIntyre (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) knocked down a pair of free throws to start the run.  McIntyre and junior Lil Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) scored four each during the five-minute run and finished with 19 and 13 respectively to lead the Crusaders.

Sophomore Jenny Bonifant (Mount Airy, Md./Linganore) scored her only two points of the game during the Crusaders decisive set.  Sophomore Ali Toczylowski (Mantua, N.J./Clearview Regional), who also reached double figures with 11, added a pair on the run and senior guard Joanna Graber (Manalapan, N.J./Notre Dame) capped it with a 3 putting Alvernia up 56-45 with 8:20 left.

"It's a huge win for us," said Alvernia head coach Kevin Calabria, "now that we're back to conference games."

After the first seven conference games the Crusaders were alone in fourth place.  Saturday's win combined with Widener's loss to Messiah puts Alvernia in a tie with Widener for third place, two games clear of Lycoming in fifth.

Alvernia still held its 11-point advantage with 5:20 left in the game, but needed someone to step up two minutes later after the Blue Jays cut the gap to six with five straight.

Etown junior Kaity Snyder scored on a jumper and junior Megan Strohman, who led all players with 20 points, knocked down one of her four 3s to pull within 58-52.

The Jays took a timeout and it was Toczylowski, who started for an injured Angela Altemose (Pottsville, Pa./Nativity BVM), coming out of the break who stepped up for the Crusaders.  Sophomore point guard Julie Hahn (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South), who finished with five assists and just one turnover, fed the ball to the post and Toczylowski went up and under to start a run of 10-0 for the hosts.

"Alli came out of that [timeout]," Calabria said, "and made that jump hook off the glass...phew...huge."

The relief was apparent in his voice and provided by more than just Toczylowski's crucial shot.

The Crusaders outrebounded an opponent for the 11th time this season, even without the 6-foot Altemose who will have her ankle reevaluated early this week, and the defense caused 25 turnovers.

"Wow, they had 25 turnovers," said Calabria, impressed by the results of an aggressive man-to-man pressure.  "I tell you the truth, I have not seen Alvernia defense like that in two years."

The Crusaders have opportunity to show it to the coach again in four days when they travel to Arcadia University.  They host Penn State-Schuylkill for a non-conference game on Thursday, and than an even more important tilt with conference foe Messiah College next Saturday.

Alvernia 68, Elizabethtown 55