Ramapo, NJ (March 4, 2023) -  Alvernia University (19-10) used a 24-point fourth quarter to knock off top-seeded Ramapo College (16-11), 69-52, in the semifinal on Saturday and advance to Sunday's ECAC Championship game.
 
Alvernia led by just four points, 45-41, going into the final frame. But, Alvernia allowed just two points from the host Roadrunners in the final 6:09 of the game as Alvernia came away with the 69-52 win.
 
Alvernia started the game off with a bang as Taliyah Malone knocked down a 3-pointer on Alvernia's opening possession. Ramapo then hit two field goals to take a 4-3 lead until Alvernia took the lead back, 8-4, on a jumper by Jordan Karmonick and a 3-pointer by Malone with 6:57 left in the first quarter.
 
A jumper by Jennah Degout kept Alvernia ahead, 12-9, as the quarter surpassed its halfway point, but Ramapo got within one, 12-11, with 4:14 to play on a jumper by Alison Ahern.
 
A pair of made free throws by Karmonick and a Tamia Wessels jumper gave Alvernia back a two-possession lead, 16-11, with 2:09 to play in the first. Neither team scored the rest of the quarter as Alvernia took the 16-11 lead into the second.
 
Ramapo opened the second quarter on an 8-2 to run to take the lead from the Golden Wolves, 19-18, with 6:09 to go in the first half.
 
A layup by Karmonick gave Alvernia back the lead, 20-19, but the two teams traded the lead or tie ten times over the next four and a half minutes. A pair of made free throws by Wessels closed out the half and gave Alvernia the slight 30-28 edge going into the second half.
 
A jumper by Kayla Williams opened up the second half for Alvernia to give the Golden Wolves a 32-28 lead, and a jumper by Malone made it a six point game 34-28, just under two minutes into the half.
 
Alvernia was held scoreless for the next three minutes as the Roadrunners took a 37-34  lead with 5:11 to play in the third.
 
A made free throw by Wessels ended Alvernia's scoreless drought with 4:36 to play in the half, and the Golden Wolves tied it up at 37-37 on a Wessels jumper with 3:11 to play. Wessels was fouled on the play and made her ensuing foul shot to give Alvernia the 38-37 advantage. Alvernia built it to a six point lead, 45-39, with 12 seconds to play on a DeGout layup, but Ramapo scored the final two point of the quarter to make it a 45-41 game with ten minutes to play.
 
Alvernia pushed it to a seven point lead, 50-43, on a made three from Malone with 8:05 to play, but the Roadrunners made it a five point game, 55-50, on a jumper and and-one free throw with 6:09 to play. But, the free throw would mark the last points Ramapo would score for nearly four minutes as Alvernia held Ramapo to just two made free throws the rest of the way.
 
Alvernia took advantage of the offensive struggles by the Roadrunners and made it a double-digit game, 62-50, on a 3-pointer from Malone with 4:43 to play. A jumper by Cathryn Kramer gave Alvernia its largest lead of the night, 66-50, with 2:38 to play. The Roadrunners then hit a pair of free throws to get back within 14, 66-52, with Alvernia made three free throws at the end to come away with the 69-52 win and secure a trip to tomorrow's championship.
 
Malone led all scorers with 18 points. She was 6-for-12 from the floor and finished with four made 3-pointers. Wessels finished with 17 points, including 11 points from the line, and Karmonick finished with a 15 point, 11 rebound double-double.
Golden Wolves Advance to Championship with 69-52 Win over Ramapo
 
Ramapo, NJ (March 4, 2023) -  Alvernia University (19-10) used a 24-point fourth quarter to knock off top-seeded Ramapo College (16-11), 69-52, in the semifinal on Saturday and advance to Sunday's ECAC Championship game.
 
Alvernia led by just four points, 45-41, going into the final frame. But, Alvernia allowed just two points from the host Roadrunners in the final 6:09 of the game as Alvernia came away with the 69-52 win.
 
Alvernia started the game off with a bang as Taliyah Malone knocked down a 3-pointer on Alvernia's opening possession. Ramapo then hit two field goals to take a 4-3 lead until Alvernia took the lead back, 8-4, on a jumper by Jordan Karmonick and a 3-pointer by Malone with 6:57 left in the first quarter.
 
A jumper by Jennah Degout kept Alvernia ahead, 12-9, as the quarter surpassed its halfway point, but Ramapo got within one, 12-11, with 4:14 to play on a jumper by Alison Ahern.
 
A pair of made free throws by Karmonick and a Tamia Wessels jumper gave Alvernia back a two-possession lead, 16-11, with 2:09 to play in the first. Neither team scored the rest of the quarter as Alvernia took the 16-11 lead into the second.
 
Ramapo opened the second quarter on an 8-2 to run to take the lead from the Golden Wolves, 19-18, with 6:09 to go in the first half.
 
A layup by Karmonick gave Alvernia back the lead, 20-19, but the two teams traded the lead or tie ten times over the next four and a half minutes. A pair of made free throws by Wessels closed out the half and gave Alvernia the slight 30-28 edge going into the second half.
 
A jumper by Kayla Williams opened up the second half for Alvernia to give the Golden Wolves a 32-28 lead, and a jumper by Malone made it a six point game 34-28, just under two minutes into the half.
 
Alvernia was held scoreless for the next three minutes as the Roadrunners took a 37-34  lead with 5:11 to play in the third.
 
A made free throw by Wessels ended Alvernia's scoreless drought with 4:36 to play in the half, and the Golden Wolves tied it up at 37-37 on a Wessels jumper with 3:11 to play. Wessels was fouled on the play and made her ensuing foul shot to give Alvernia the 38-37 advantage. Alvernia built it to a six point lead, 45-39, with 12 seconds to play on a DeGout layup, but Ramapo scored the final two point of the quarter to make it a 45-41 game with ten minutes to play.
 
Alvernia pushed it to a seven point lead, 50-43, on a made three from Malone with 8:05 to play, but the Roadrunners made it a five point game, 55-50, on a jumper and and-one free throw with 6:09 to play. But, the free throw would mark the last points Ramapo would score for nearly four minutes as Alvernia held Ramapo to just two made free throws the rest of the way.
 
Alvernia took advantage of the offensive struggles by the Roadrunners and made it a double-digit game, 62-50, on a 3-pointer from Malone with 4:43 to play. A jumper by Cathryn Kramer gave Alvernia its largest lead of the night, 66-50, with 2:38 to play. The Roadrunners then hit a pair of free throws to get back within 14, 66-52, with Alvernia made three free throws at the end to come away with the 69-52 win and secure a trip to tomorrow's championship.
 
Malone led all scorers with 18 points. She was 6-for-12 from the floor and finished with four made 3-pointers. Wessels finished with 17 points, including 11 points from the line, and Karmonick finished with a 15 point, 11 rebound double-double.

The Golden Wolves will take on New Jersey City in the ECAC Championship game tomorrow at 2:00 PM.