BOX SCORE

Latrobe, Pa. (Mar. 6, 2010) - Sixth-seeded Alvernia University (17-10) stuggled with shots and taking care of the ball during a pivotal 10-minute stretch of the second half in a 74-69 loss to #2 St. Vincent College Saturday afternoon in semifinal action of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region Semifinal at St. Vincent.

The Crusaders missed seven shots from the floor and turned the ball over 10 times as St. Vincent ran off a 33-7 run to turn a 13-point deficit into an 13-point lead with just over six minutes to play.  Alvernia was able to cut the gap to five points, 67-62 with 1:40 left and down to four in the final seconds, but couldn't complete the comeback.

St. Vincent will host #8 Juniata College in Sunday's final.  It's the second straight championship appearance for the Eagles who took the 2009 title, also as an eight-seed.

Alvernia sophomores Allie Toczylowski (Mantua, N.J./Clearview Regional) and Angela Altemose (Pottsville, Pa./Nativity BVM) were dominant for the Crusaders on Saturday.  Toczylowski finished the day with 20 points and 18 rebounds while Altemose posted 17 points and 17 rebounds.  The Crusaders were without the services of junior shooting guard Kelli McIntyre (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) who was fulfilling weekend duties with the Army Reserves.

Altemose and Toczylowski, who combined for 13 offensive rebounds, helped the Crusaders to a 53-37 advantage on the glass, but the Crusaders committed 24 turnovers which led to 34 points for St. Vincent.

Alvernia quickly built an 11-point lead at the game's start going up 16-5 after a jumper from junior Lil Snyder (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg).

SVC cut into that lead pulling within five points, 18-13, but Alvernia answered back building the lead up to 16 points when Julie Hahn (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) hit a free throw with 33 seconds left in the half.

The lead was 15 points at the half and 13 points, 43-40 after Toczylowski scored on a layup assisted by Altemose at the 16:24 mark.

From the point the wheels began to wobble.  First it was a pair of innocent misses on the next possession.  Then the turnover began to pile up and the Bearcats took advantage cutting nine points of the lead in a matter of two minutes.  SVC cut it to one point a minute later and went ahead 47-46 at the 12:27 mark.

Alvernia took the lead back briefly on a Kayla Long (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Central) layup, but SVC put together a 16-2 run from there over the next five minutes for a 63-50 lead with 6:42 to play.

Again the Crusaders had an answer cutting the gap to five points on a pair of Toczylowski free throws at 1:40, but SVC had enough to hold off Alvernia down the stretch.

Hahn and Snyder reached double figures with 14 and 10 respectively.  St. Vincent had four players reach double figures led by Maria Baroffio who scored 20.

#2 St. Vincent 74, #6 Alvernia 69