MILWAUKEE -- Alverno College junior guard Kayla Kennedy (Trempealeau, Wis./Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau) sunk one of two free throws with 9.9 seconds left to ice a 63-59 Inferno victory over the visiting Finlandia University Lions tonight in Reiman Gymnasium.

Kennedy also hit a jumper -- for two of her team-high 16 points -- with 42 seconds left to give the Inferno (2-2) a three-point lead.

On the previous possession, Alyssa Jensen (Cudahy, Wis.) made a layup on an up-and-under post move to put the Inferno up 60-59 and start their game-ending 5-0 run.

Alverno led by 10 points, 50-40, with 10:30 minutes remaining after a pair of free throws by senior forward Alicia Kontowski (South Milwaukee, Wis.), but the feisty Lions (0-4) went on a 15-4 run over the next 5 minutes to take a 55-54 lead.

Finlandia led until Jensen's basket with 1:27 left in the game put Alverno ahead for good.

In addition to Kennedy's 16, three more Inferno players scored in double-figures including sophomore guard Kristen Speerschneider (New Franken, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) with 11, and Kontowski and senior forward Hannah Galstad (Holmen, Wis.) with 10 apiece.

Speerschneider dished out seven assists to lead all passers and freshman guard DeAndrea Jones (Milwaukee/King) snagged a team-high six rebounds.

The Lions were led by Shaikiera Armstrong's (Somerset, N.J.) 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting and Marissa Burke's (Watersmeet, Mich.) 15 points and game-high nine rebounds.

The Inferno made 27 trips to the free-throw line and connected on 19 attempts for a70-percent accuracy, while the Lions were just 3-of-7 from the line.

Alverno opens Northern Athletics Conference play this Saturday versus Lakeland College. The Inferno will host the league-opener in Reiman Gymnasium at 2 p.m.