Oswego, NY (Nov. 21, 2015) - Alvernia University (2-1) put away 27 points in the second quarter en route to a 60-51 win over Oswego State (0-3) Saturday afternoon in the consolation game of the Oswego State Women's Basketball Tournament, hosted by Oswego State University.
The Crusaders hit their stride at the start of the second quarter after falling behind 17-11 in the first.
Stevie Fortna made one from the behind the arc, triggering a 24-4 run that went until a minute before the half.
Tyra Roberts followed Fortna, making a layup in the paint and converting on the three-point play, with
Jenna Wolff putting in her second 3 of the day to put Alvernia ahead 20-17.
The Lakers echoed Wolff to squaring things at 20, but
Olivia Andrefski backfired with a 3 of her own to spark a run of 12 unanswered points. Andrefski was a key part of the run, laying in 8 of the 12 points. Oswego made one from the line to chip at the Crusaders 32-21 lead, but Fortna and
Chelsea Ebersole partnered for six points in a minute to cancel out the Lakers efforts and give Alvernia the 38-26 margin at the half.
The Crusaders offense cooled down some in the second half, but was strong enough to maintain the lead. Oswego finished the third quarter outscoring the Crusaders 12-10, yet were still 10 behind Alvernia overall.
The Lakers came within six on three occassions in the final quarter, but Alvernia kept them from getting any closer. Up 48-42 with 8:31,
Logan Focht drained the 3-ball to reestablish a nine point Crusader lead. Oswego cut down the margin again almost two minutes later, but this time Fortna hit the 3 to lift Alvernia up 57-48. The Lakers worked the score to 57-51 with a minute left, but Roberts and Wolff combined for a 3-for-4 effort from the line to seal the victory.
"We have had different players stepping up in different games," stated head coach
Sheila Cook. "Today, our defensive intensity, our focus, and our desire to win was great. This is ultimately what led us to the win."
Fortna had a team-high 14 points, going 5-8 from the floor and 4-5 from behind the arc. Roberts, who was named to the Max Ziel All-Tournament Team, picked up the double-double, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Andrefski has a season-high nine points.
"This weekend was a great test for us," noted Cook. "We struggled last night, so I told the team this was going to be an opportunity to see our ability to rally and respond. The team really impressed me today."Alvernia returns to action on Tuesday, taking their home court for the first time this season. The Crusaders will host Penn State Berks, with tip off set for 6:00 pm.
