Reading, PA (January 4, 2006) – Freshman Erica Sovak (Tuxedo, NY/George F. Baker) scored a season-high 23 points to lead the DeSales University women’s basketball team past Alvernia College, 73-60, in non-conference action on Wednesday evening.

 

            The win evens the Bulldogs record at 5-5 for the season, while the loss is the first in the last 11 games for the Crusaders (1-7 overall) at home.  DSU forced 30 Alvernia turnovers and shot 46.7 percent from the field.  AC canned 44.0 percent of its attempts.

 

            A back and forth first half was capped by a 9-0 Bulldog run that turned a two-point Crusader lead into a 35-28 DSU lead heading into the locker rooms.  Sovak started the run with a lay-up and fellow freshman LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) tallied five points including a trey with four seconds left.

 

            In the second half DSU opened up a 12-point lead with 13:23 left in the game before Alvernia answered with a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to cut the margin to four points, 49-45.  Sophomore Ashley Shrawder keyed the run with two three-pointers.

 

            After a DSU timeout, a lay-up by Sovak sparked a 9-1 run that pushed the lead back up to 12 points and the closest AC got was nine points, 68-59, with 2:19 left in the game the rest of the way.  Sophomore Jenna Stampf (Nazareth, PA/Notre Dame) had four points and freshman Lisa Brennan (Newtown, PA/Council Rock North) added a trey in the game-clinching run.

 

            Sovak’s season-high came on 10-of-14 shooting as she added a season-high seven rebounds in the win.  Junior Kirby Lutz (Easton, PA/Pen Argyl) finished with 14 points and three steals, Burke added 13 points and Stampf came off the bench to tally eight points.  Freshman Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) played a solid floor game with six assists and just one turnover in 36 minutes.

 

            Junior Camrell Gholston led the Crusader charge with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting.  Sophomore Ashley Shrawder added 14 points on the strength of four three-pointers and freshman Maria Williams had eight points in the losing effort.