BOX SCORE
Immaculata, Pa. (Nov. 20, 2012) – Alvernia University (2-1) got a combined 48 points from three freshmen in a 60-53 win over Immaculata University Tuesday evening in non-conference women's basketball action at Immaculata.
Stevie Fortna (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon Catholic) hit 9-of-15 field goals including 2-of-7 from 3-point range and scored a game-high 21 points.
Chelsea Ebersole (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) hit five 3s and scored 15 points, and
Kelsey Wolf (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) was an efficient 6-for-7 from the floor for 12 points.
Senior
Kayla Long (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) scored eight and
Kaitlyn Yoh (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) added four to account for the other 12.
The three freshmen all scored during an 11-0 run midway through the second half that put the Crusaders up 43-37 and they never looked back. Ebersole nailed a 3 to cut into a 5-point deficit, Fortna knotted the score at 37-all with a layup, then Wolf scored six straight to cap the run.
Immaculata pulled within four points twice after the Crusaders' run, but Fortna hit a 3 to spark an 11-3 run that put Alvernia up 12, 56-44 with 5:47 to play, and the Crusaders held a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
Immaculata opened the game with 3s on each of its first two possessions and scored 10 before the Crusaders got on the board. Alvernia answered the 10-0 run with a 14-4 spurt of its own to get a restart at 14-all with 12:10 left in the first half.
Fortna and Ebersole hit back-to-back 3s for a 20-15 lead, but that lead evaporated with the second 10-0 Immaculata run of the half. Long hit to free throws to give Alvernia a 30-29 lead late in the half, but Immaculata took a 31-30 halftime lead with two of its own.
The Mighty Macs opened the second half with a 6-2 run before Alvernia took control with the 11-0 run.
Long and Yoh matched their points totals in the rebounds column with eight and four respectively. Yoh also threw in a team-best five assists.
Alvernia opens the conference season next Wednesday at Lycoming.
Alvernia 60, Immaculata 53
