Alvernia (3-3, 2-0 PAC) used a pair of second half runs to pull away from the Mighty Macs (3-3, 1-1 PAC) and pick up its second straight conference victory. Fortna nailed her only 3 of the day in a 12-4 run early in the second half that pushed a four point lead to a 12 point gap, 71-59, with 11:38 to play. Immaculata stopped the streak with four straight, but Alvernia scored eight straight for a 16 point lead and never looked back.
Junior transfer Jill Rosolie (Quarryville, PA/Solanco) set her career high with 23 points and three other Crusaders reached double figures including Allee Barnes (Blooming Glen, PA/Pennridge) who scored 14 and Kerry Higgs (Westminster, MD/Westminster) and Erin Knarr (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson) who added 10 apiece. Immaculata could not take advantage of a monster effort from Dominique Murray (Wilmington, DE/Padua Academy) who tallied 31 points and 20 rebounds. Senior Meg Legere (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Catholic) scored 24 for the Mighty Macs and Stephanie Stripe (Minersville, PA/Nativity BVM) added 10.
The first half was a back and forth affair after Murray forced the third tie of the day at 6-6 with a layup at the 16:08 mark. Barnes followed with her first of two first-half 3s to spark an 8-0 run that put the host Crusader up 14-6.
Immaculata answered with a 15-2 run to take a 21-16 lead as the clock passed the 10 minute mark. Legere stared the run with a 3-point play and scored five for the Mighty Macs during the four minute stretch.
Knarr then knocked down a jumper to start a 10-0 run and capped it with a layup at the 7:13 mark that left the hosts up 26-21. Immaculata needed less than two minutes to erase the lead and Stripe hit a 3 to end a 9-0 spurt that put the Macs up 30-26 with 5:23 left in the first.
Alvernia tied the score with four quick points and took a one point lead, 33-32 on Barnes’ second 3 of the half, but Immaculata got four points from Legere during the final 4:12 of the half as the guests scored 11 of the final 17 points for a 43-39 lead at the break.
Knarr and Rosolie opened the second half with back-to-back hoops to force the fifth tie of the day and three straight hoops three minutes later put the hosts up six. Immaculata answered with a bucket before Alvernia’s first second half run.
Alvernia will continue the conference schedule hosting Rosemont College on Monday at 7:00 p.m.
Alvernia 92, Immaculata 79