Reading, Pa. (Jan. 4, 2023) - Alvernia University (10-4, 5-0) led wire-to-wire as the Golden Wolves improved to 5-0 in MAC Commonwealth play with a 74-43 win over Eastern University (2-9, 0-4) on Wednesday night in women's basketball action at Alvernia. 

The Golden Wolves have now won nine of their last ten games and join Messiah as the only undefeated in conference play in the MAC Commonwealth. The Golden Wolves have won all of their MAC Commonwealth games by at least 11 points, and have won the last four by an average of 25 points. 

Alvernia sits at 5-0, while Messiah improved to 4-0 after edging on a narrow 55-51 win over Hood this evening. 

Taliyah Malone needed just five seconds to get Alvernia on the board as she took the opening tip and pulled up for a 3-pointer. Alvernia went on to score eight of the nine opening points of the contest as a layup by Meghan Ruth gave Alvernia the 8-1 lead after about three minutes of action. 

An Eagle field goal with 6:48 to play in the opening frame brought Eastern within five, 8-3, but the Eagles would never get closer than that the rest of the game.

Alvernia built its lead to 11, 17-6, on a 9-3 run, and the Golden Wolves closed out the final two and a half minutes of the first quarter on a 7-3 run that was capped by a Tamia Wessels fastbreak to give Alvernia the 26-11 lead going into the second frame.

The Golden Wolves opened the quarter with a Jordan Karmonick three, but the Eagles scored five quick points to make it a 13 point game, 29-16, with just under eight minutes to play in the quarter. But, Eastern would only score five points the rest of the quarter as Alvernia used a layup by Kayla Williams in the final minute to take a 17 point lead, 38-21, into the second half.

Alvernia came out of the half firing as Karminick hit a quick three and Williams added three of her own to build Alvernia's lead to 23, 44-21, with 8:25 to play in the third frame. 

Alvernia held at least a 20 point lead for the majority of the third quarter, and a 3-pointer by Malone off the feed of Jordyn Ingelido gave Alvernia a 27 point advantage, 55-28, with 16 seconds to play in the third quarter. The Eagles hit two free throws in the final seconds of the quarter as Alvernia took a 25 point lead, 55-30, into the final frame.

A jumper by Cathryn Kramer with 7:37 to play gave Alvernia's largest lead of the game, 63-30. The Eagles got within 26 with 3:34 to play, but Alvernia again built its lead back to 33 on a Kylie Bradford layup with 1:48 to play. The Eagles scored four of the final six points as Alvernia came away with the 74-43 win. 

Williams led all scorers with 15 points and added six boards. Karmonick finished with a 12 point, 10 rebound double-double. Wessels also reached double-digits with 10 points. 11 different players scored for Alvernia in the win.

The Golden Wolves are back in action on Saturday at Lebanon Valley College. The Dutchmen are 2-2 in MAC Commonwealth play and 4-9 overall.