Frederick, Md. (Jan. 15, 2022) - Alvernia University (8-6, 2-5) used a big fourth quarter to hold off Hood College (5-9, 2-5) and take the 62-57 win over the Blazers on Saturday afternoon in MAC Commonwealth Women's Basketball action at Hood.

Alvernia held an early 18-5 lead, but Hood College chipped away until the Blazers took a three point lead midway through the third quarter. The Golden Wolves stayed in the fight and outscored the Blazers 21-17 in the final frame to come away with their second straight win. 

Jordan Karmonick opened the scoring for Alvernia with a 3-pointer just over 30 seconds into the action. 

After the Blazers scored their first two points off of free throws, Alvernia held Hood scoreless for over four minutes while the Golden Wolves built up their lead to 13 points, 15-2, with 4:08 to play in the first. Alvernia's scoring run included five points from Kayla Williams and was capped off by Karmonick's second 3-pointer of the day.

A free throw from the Blazers at the 3:33 mark ended their scoring drought. Hood added a layup before Alvernia tacked on to its lead with a Kelly Fetter free throw and a layup from Williams to make it 18-5 with 1:15 left in the first.

Hood scored the final five points of the first quarter to make it an 18-10 game in favor of Alvernia going into the second quarter.

Hood opened the second with a layup, but Alvernia responded with two made free throws by Tamia Wessels. After another layup by Hood, a jumper from Jannelle Robinson put Alvernia up 22-14 with 8:25 left in the half.

Alvernia's defense continued to overpower the Hood offense, holding the Blazers to just six points in the opening six minutes of the second quarter. But, that ended at the 3:51 mark when a Malone free throw would turn out to be Alvernia's penultimate point of the half as the Blazers switched momentum with Alvernia and began to shut the Golden Wolves offense down.

The Blazers used the opportunity to close the gap and make it a one possession game, 27-24, with 17 seconds left in the half.

Jannelle Robinson was fouled in the final seconds of the half and made one of her two free throw attempts to make it a 28-24 game going into the break.

The Blazers stayed within two possessions in the opening minutes of the third quarter, but the Blazers took their first lead of the game, 31-30, off a jumper at the 6:23 mark. The Blazers extended their lead to three points, 33-30, off another jumper.

The two teams traded the lead the rest of the third quarter, but a Malone layup as time expired in the third frame gave Alvernia the slight 41-40 advantage going into the final ten minutes.

A layup from Cathryn Kramer and a free throw from Karmonick put Alvernia back up by four in the first 45 seconds of the fourth, but the Blazers again worked their way back in and took the lead, 45-44, just over two minutes later.

Alvernia responded with a layup from Williams to make it a 46-45 game in favor of Alvernia with 7:39 left to play. The Golden Wolves would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way.

Hood hovered within one possession over the next four minutes, but a layup from Wessels with 3:23 to play put Alvernia up five, 57-52.

The Blazers remained close the rest of the way, but Karmonick went 3-for-4 at the line in the final 90 seconds to give Alvernia the edge it needed to down the Blazers, 62-57.

Williams (13 points), Karmonick (12 points), and Kramer (11 points) all reached double-digits scoring for Alvernia. Kramer also led Alvernia with eight rebounds on the afternoon.

The Golden Wolves close out their first cycle of MAC Commonwealth play on Wednesday hosting the Pride of Widener University.