Frederick, Md. (Feb. 18, 2023) - After trailing by six at the half, Alvernia University (16-9, 11-5) used a massive third quarter to overtake Hood College (4-21, 1-15) and end the regular season with a 66-48 win over the Blazers in MAC Commonwealth women's basketball action on Saturday at Hood. 

The Golden Wolves trailed by as much as 11 in the first half, but Alvernia came into the second half firing. The Golden Wolves outscored the Blazers 33-8 in the third quarter and ended the second half outscoring Hood 44-20. Alvernia dropped six 3-pointers in the third frame and shot 62% from the field. 

With the win, Alvernia secured the #3 seed in the MAC Commonwealth Championship. The Golden Wolves will head to #2 Albright College on Wednesday for the MAC Commonwealth semifinal. The win against the Blazers is also Alvernia's 11 conference win this season, marking its most wins in conference play since joining the MAC Commonwealth in the 2009-10 season. 

Alvernia opened the scoring in the first quarter with a Cathryn Kramer jumper a minute into the action. Alvernia and Hood matched points over the next three minutes, and the Golden Wolves trailed by one, 7-6, with 5:54 to play in the quarter following two made free throws by Tamia Wessels. But, Alvernia was held to just two points - a Kayla Williams jumper - the rest of the half as the Blazers built up an 11 point lead, 19-8, going into the second quarter.

Alvernia ended its scoring drought on its opening possession of the second quarter with a Jordan Karmonick three, but the Blazers matched Karmonick's three with one of their own to push their back to 11, 22-11.

Alvernia then put up seven straight points with layups from Kramer and Malone, as well as a three from Karmonick, to cut Hood's lead down to three, 22-19, with seven minutes to play in the half.

Both teams then went scoreless for the next four and a half minutes. The Blazers broke the scoreless spell and six straight points to push their lead back to nine, 28-19. Alvernia was held without a field goal for nearly seven minutes, but Wessels hit a three at the buzzer to cut Hood's lead down to six, 28-22, going into the half.

A layup from Kramer and a 3-pointer from Malone brought Alvernia within one, 28-27, in the opening minutes of the second half.  With 6:16 to go in the third frame, Alvernia took a 33-32 lead on a Karmonick three. That three sparked a 25-4 run for the Golden Wolves as Alvernia held the Blazers to just two points the rest of the quarter. Alvernia was 5-for-7 from beyond the arc during the run, and was 10-for-14 overall. Six different players scored for Alvernia in the final 6:16 of the quarter, with Karmonick leading the way with six points. Malone and Williams each scored five, Kramer added four, Wessels put up three, and Meghan Ruth added two as Alvernia took a solid 55-36 lead into the final ten minutes.

Field goals from Karmonick and Jennah DeGout marked the first four points of the fourth quarter and pushed Alvernia's lead to 23, 59-36, with 7:11 to play. The Blazers got two back on a jumper with 6:17 to play to mark their first field goal in nearly ten minutes, but Alvernia's lead was too much for Hood to overcome. Alvernia held at least an 18 point lead the rest of the way to secure the 66-48 win to close out the regular season. 

Karmonick led Alvernia with 16 points and nine rebounds. Kramer finished with an 11 point, 13 rebound double-double. Wessels and Malone also finished in double figures with ten points each, and Wessels added a team-high five assists. Williams finished with seven points, seven rebounds, and a team-high five blocks. 

Alvernia will head to Albright on Wednesday for the semifinal matchup. A game time has not yet been announced.