Women's Basketball
#24 Lebanon Valley 66, Alvernia 53

Box Score
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READING, Pa. - Led by center Renee Fritz's 14 points and a second-half defensive stand, #24 Lebanon Valley moved to 2-0 in Commonwealth Conference play with a solid 66-53 win over Alvernia Saturday.

The Dutchmen (7-1, 2-0 CC) shot 18-for-19 at the line as they overcame a slow first half and pull out to a double-digit second-half lead on the Crusaders (3-4, 1-1 CC). The LVC defense held Alvernia to just one field goal over the final 8:39 of the game.

Fritz had 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks to lead LVC inside, and Lauren Ruhl came off the bench to hit 13 points on three three-pointers. Suzie Noyes added 10 points.

Shanaye Glenn led Alvernia with 13 points. Angela Altemose had a game-high 11 rebounds.

LVC shot 43% overall and had a great passing game, putting assists on 16 of their 22 buckets. Alvernia was held to 33% shooting (and just 26.9% in the second half), including a single three-pointer, and they shot 22-of-32 at the line.

After a quick start gave them a 6-0 lead, the Dutchmen went through a cold stretch that allowed Alvernia to rattle off an 11-2 run and take the lead midway through the first half. The Dutchmen responded with a big run of their own, with Ruhl's three-pointer sparking a 13-3 spurt that put them up 34-28 at the half.

LVC took full control in the second, slowly building their lead to as much as 15 after Ruhl's layup off Caitlin Murphy's steal at 11:08. Alvernia cut the lead down to nine with a 6-0 run, but that would be as close as they would get as the LVC defense clamped down and held the Crusaders without a field goal over a 7:21 span at the tail-end of the half.

Lebanon Valley heads to Marywood University on Thursday night for a non-conference game at 7 p.m.