READING, Pa. – Despite shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half and taking a two-point lead into halftime, the Lycoming College women’s basketball team fell to Alvernia, 75-66, in Commonwealth Conference action on Saturday evening, Feb. 12.

The Warriors (9-14 overall, 4-8 Commonwealth) got big performances from senior Kaitlyn Ober (Lititz, Pa./Warwick), who posted 22 points, eight rebounds and two assists, sophomore Rachael Scheller (Sunbury,  Pa./Shikellamy), who posted 19 points, three treys, five assists and five steals, and freshman Julia Antonelli (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford), who posted 16 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.

While riding high on the play of their forwards for much of the season, the Warriors leaned on Ober and Antonelli heavily again in the first half and the pair delivered to the tune of 27 points and a .500 field goal percentage (16-for-32) in the half.

Ober posted 19 points in the half and Antonelli added eight points and seven rebounds, while Scheller notched six points and four assists in the half.

Ober started the game on fire, scoring 13 points in an opening 15-8 run, but the Crusaders closed the gap and tied the game at 21 midway through the half before Scheller canned a trey to keep the Warriors out front.

The Crusaders (13-10 overall, 6-6 Commonwealth) took a 31-30 lead with 3:30 left in the half, but Ober responded again with a pair of layups in the closing minutes to help the Warriors close out the period on a 5-2 run and take a 35-33 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the teams fought through three more ties in the early minutes before a 3-pointer from freshman Jessica Knott (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) ignited an 8-0 Warrior run that gave Lycoming a 50-44 lead with 12:46 left after a pair of free throws from Knott.

After the teams traded a pair of 3-pointers, the Crusaders went on a 15-4 run that gave them a 62-57 lead with 6:11 left. A jumper from Ober and a layup from Antonelli helped the Warriors cut the lead to a point 30 seconds later, but Antonelli picked up her fifth foul with 5:11 left and the Crusaders went on an 8-1 run to take a 70-62 lead with 3:27 left and the Warriors could not get closer than six the rest of the way.

Junior Erin Connaghan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to go with four assists and two blocks and Knott finished with five points, two assists and a block. Senior Rebecca Spencer (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy) added two blocks.

Angela Altemose led the Crusaders with 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals and Allie Toczylowski added 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Brittany Young and Melissa Gianotti posted 10 points each.

The Warriors head home to Lamade Gym for Senior Day on Tuesday, Feb. 15, when they face Messiah at 6 p.m.