ANNVILLE, Pa. – Lebanon Valley women's basketball sophomore Riley Hevelow exploded for a career-high 26 points as a second-half rally fell short in a 61-51 defeat to Albright College on Saturday afternoon at Sorrentino Gymnasium.
 
Albright (3-3) scored the first 10 points of the game over the first five minutes. Kate Fitzpatrick got the Dutchmen (3-3) on the board with 4:32 remaining in the quarter on a layup off an assist by Abbie Reed. Hevelow hit back-to-back jumpers to cut the lead to 10-6 with three minutes left. The Lions hit a pair of free throws with a minute left and then hit a jumper with 18 seconds remaining to go up 14-6. Hevelow closed the quarter with a jumper at the buzzer that bounced off the rim and in.
 
The sophomore started the scoring in the second with a three-pointer. Albright scored on a three-point play before Hevelow hit another three to make it 17-14 with 7:17 on the clock. The Lions responded with a 5-0 run over the next four minutes to take an eight-point lead. Cristina Fernandez stopped the run with a running jumper in the paint. Albright closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 32-18 lead into the locker rooms.
 
The Lions opened the scoring in the second half before Samya Santiague and Hevelow scored to cut the lead to 12. Hevelow knocked down another three and then Fitzpatrick knocked down a pair of running jumpers in the paint to make it 39-29. The run continued with Fitzpatrick scoring and then finding Hevelow open for another three to make it a five-point game with three minutes on the clock. The Lions made one of two free throws and then Reed scored, and Fitzpatrick knocked down a long three to cut the lead to one. Albright responded with a three to give the Lions a 43-39 lead going into the fourth.
 
The teams traded buckets to begin the fourth with Hevelow making it a 47-43 game with a fastbreak jumper right at the free throw line with six minutes left. The lead was still at four points with 4:30 left before the Lions made back-to-back buckets in the paint to go up by eight. The Dutchmen were able to get within six on a Elise Balmer layup but that was close as they would get as Albright closed out their scoring at the free throw line. Hevelow had a pair of baskets in the final 30 seconds to round out her scoring.
 
Inside the Box

• Hevelow shot 11-18 from the field including 4-5 on threes. She also pulled down six rebounds.
• Fitzpatrick scored in double figures with 14 points. The guard added three rebounds and two assists.
• Reed had three points and six rebounds.
• Fernandez pulled down five rebounds, had two steals, and was one of four Dutchmen with two points.
• The Dutchmen outscored Albright 21-11 in the third quarter.

Up Next
LVC will be back in Sorrentino Gymnasium on Monday hosting another former MAC Commonwealth rival in York College of Pennsylvania. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. against the Spartans.

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