Crusaders Drop Tight One To Lycoming

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Reading, Pa. (Dec. 3, 2011) - Despite leading for the entire first half and most of the second half, Alvernia found themselves on the wrong end of a 44-41 final score as the visiting Warriors from Lycoming (4-2, 2-0 Comm.) used a late-game rally to defeat Alvernia (3-3, 0-2 Comm.) this afternoon in Commonwealth Conference action.  The Crusaders were paced by Angela Altemose (Pottsville, Pa./Nativity BVM) who was the only Crusader to reach double-digits with ten points.

Alvernia jumped ahead early in the low-scoring first half to take the 7-2 lead on a three-pointer from Cori Conner (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) at 13:03.  After some back and forth action they increased their lead to seven (11-4) as Allie Toczylowski (Mantua, NJ/Clearview Regional) hit a jumper at 6:37.  The Warriors tightened the gap to just one after a three-point play from Erin Connaghan brought the score to 13-12 at 4:26.  Alvernia rallied back to end the half with a five-point, 17-12 lead after a jumper from Melissa Giannotti (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) with 33 seconds remaining in the half.

The second half proved to be a tighter, more high scoring affair as the Warriors tied the game at 26 at 13:21.  From there on forward the game saw four more ties and no team led by more than four at any point.  Alvernia appeared to rally back with a three from Altemose at 9:47 to give the game back to the Crusaders (30-28) and a jumper from Britney Meitzler (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) to put Alvernia up by four. 

The Warriors came back to tie the game again at 34 with just under six minutes remaining and took a four-point lead thanks to a jumper from Ali Derr at 1:58.  Down the stretch it was all Lycoming, with the Warriors not falling behind for the final six minutes.  Two late free throws from Julia Antonelli put the game out of reach through the final seconds.

Alvernia will look to rebound from their two-game losing streak when they travel to PSU-Schuylkill for a 7:00pm non-conference game.

Lycoming 44, Alvernia 41