WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – On a night when the Lycoming College women's basketball seniors tied the school record for wins by a class, it was senior Megan Helminiak (Williamsport, Pa./St. John Neumann), who played in the fewest games during the class' freshman year, that made the biggest difference, hitting a career-high three 3-pointers to lift Lycoming to a 62-52 win over MAC Commonwealth foe Alvernia on Wednesday night, Feb. 12, in Lamade Gym.
 
Alvernia (8-14 overall, 3-11 MAC Commonwealth) closed within three points at 53-50 with 2:30 left, but Helminiak with her career-high third 3-pointer of the night for the Warriors (15-8 overall, 8-6 MAC Commonwealth). Alvernia got back within four with 1:40 left off a pair of free throws, but junior Erica Lutz (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) hit a free throw, then senior Akilah McFadden (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) grabbed the rebound and hit an off-balance layup while getting fouled. While Alvernia missed its remaining five shots, McFadden closed the game by hitting 3-of-5 at the line.
 
McFadden, a starter for all of the senior classes 65 wins, finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, six steals, four assists and a block, as the versatile guard that is in the top 10 in school history in points, steals, assists and blocks moved within eight rebounds of becoming the 15^th player in school history to reach 500 rebounds. The class tied the record set by the class of 1998.
 
Lutz finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for the 20^th double-double of her career and Helminiak posted nine points, three rebounds and two assists. Freshman Emily Zoscin (Weatherly, Pa./Weatherly) added six points, four rebounds and three assists.
 
The Warriors got an early boost from senior Akilah McFadden (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area), as she scored the first seven points of the game before Alvernia rallied to take an 18-14 lead with 1:19 to play in the first quarter. The Golden Wolves expanded the lead to seven at 23-16 with 7:28 left in the second quarter and led 28-23 with 3:06 to play before the Warriors rattled home the last 11 points of the half, with 3-pointers from McFadden and Zoscin keying the run.
 
In the third quarter, the Warriors closed the period on a run of four straight points to take a 44-36 lead and senior Morgan Mader (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) hit a 3-pointer to give Lycoming a 47-36 lead with 9:35 left. Alvernia went on a 14-6 run over the next seven minutes to cut the deficit to a single possession before Helminiak's dagger.
 
Torie Zerbe led the Wolves with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Julia Ewen added 12 rebounds. Gabriella De Vito also posted 10 points.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Feb. 15, when they head to Albright for a 1 p.m. MAC Commonwealth game in the Bollman Center.