Alvernia trailed 73-67 with just under four minutes to play and cut that deficit to one point with a 5-0 run over the next two minutes, but the Griffins (19-2, 13-0 PAC) got a big bucket from senior Jackie Dougherty (Roslyn, PA/Abington) and hit four free throws in the final 14 seconds to hold on for the win.
GMC, which struggled from long range shooting 6-for-29 from the arc, knocked down back-to-back 3s with under seven minutes to play opening a six point lead, 68-62. Higgs answered with her second 3 of the night to cut the lead in half, but two minutes later a pair of Becky Strohecker (Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) free throws built the lead back to six at 3:57.
Alvernia senior Lauren Fortna (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon Catholic) scored five straight from the free throw line, but the Crusaders could not quite complete the comeback. Fortna finished the night with 27 points including a 14-of-15 effort from the free throw line. Junior guard Karen Tierney (Philadelphia, PA/Kennedy-Kenrick) led the Griffins with 20, Dougherty scored 18, Ashley Vandiver (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) scored 14, and Strohecker added 10.
Both teams enjoyed leads of 10 or more during the first half. GMC started the game with a 13-3 lead, but Alvernia answered with a 24-2 run to open up a 12-point lead with 7:07 left in the half. Higgs and Fortna combined to score all 24 points for the Crusaders during the six-minute run.
GMC responded with a 12-0 run to tie the score at 27-all and Tierney hit a 3 with three seconds left in the half to give the Griffins a 38-36 lead at the break. Higgs scored to open the second half and put the hosts up four, 44-40 at 16:03, but the Griffins scored eight straight to take a lead they never relinquished.
Alvernia will host Penn State-Berks in a non-conference game Thursday night at 7:00 and host Marywood in the final home game of the regular season this Saturday.
Gwynedd-Mercy 81, Alvernia 77