Reading, Pa. (March 4, 2021) - Alvernia Women's Basketball (1-2, 1-2) used a lights out fourth quarter to complete the 48-44 comeback win over Lebanon Valley College (2-5, 2-5) at Alvernia on Thursday night in MAC Commonwealth Women's Basketball action.

Lebanon Valley scored the opening four points of the game, going up 4-0 after three minutes. Alvernia got on the board with a layup from Taliyah Malone to make it 4-2 with 6:44 left in the first.

After a Kayla Williams layup a minute later to make it 6-4 in favor of the Dutchmen, Lebanon Valley went on a 6-1 run to close out the quarter with a 12-5 lead.

Back-to-back layups from Cathryn Kramer brought Alvernia's deficit down to three, 12-9, 30 seconds into the second quarter, but a 3-pointer from Allison Bimmer put the Dutchmen back up by six on the next possession. 

The Golden Wolves and Dutchmen traded baskets the rest of the quarter, and Williams scored the final points of the quarter on a layup with 2:19 left in the half to make it 20-13 in favor of LVC going into the break.

Alvernia scored the opening five points of the second half to cut its deficit down to 20-17, but the Dutchmen went on a 10-0 run to extend their lead back to 30-17 with 6:05 left in the third quarter. 

The Golden Wolves started to chip away at the Dutchmen's lead with back-to-back threes by Tamia Wessels and Williams bringing Alvernia back within five, 32-27, with 2:39 left in the third quarter.

The Dutchmen answered with back-to-back threes of their own, including a buzzer beater, to extend their back to double digits at 38-27. 

Alvernia's offense found its rhythm in the fourth quarter, with the defense playing a shutdown press, to bring the Golden Wolves storming back into the game. 

After Lebanon Valley's Emily Mealy scored the Dutchmen's opening six points of the quarter, Lebanon Valley went scoreless in the final 6:44 of the game.

A 3-pointer from Malone put Alvernia within two, 44-42, with 3:51 left in the game, and a layup from Wessels tied it at 44-44 a minute later.

Wessels hit the go-ahead jumper with 1:54 left to play, and she sealed the win for Alvernia with two converted free throws in the final seconds to take the 48-44 win.

Alvernia's defense forced nine turnovers in the fourth quarter to keep the Dutchmen at bay and give Alvernia's offense an opportunity to pull ahead.

Tamia Wessels led Alvernia's offense with 16 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the line, and added four rebounds. Kayla Williams also reached double digits with 10 points and added three steals and three blocks. Julia Ewen led Alvernia's rebounding efforts with 15 and a team-high four blocks. Cathryn Kramer finished with six steals, six points, and three blocks. 

Mealy led the Dutchmen with 25 points and 16 rebounds.

Alvernia and Lebanon Valley meet again on Friday evening at Lebanon Valley to close the series. Tip-off is set for 7 PM.