DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Alvernia out-scored the Washington and Lee women's basketball team, 19-4, in the fourth quarter to pull out a 54-46 victory in the opening game of the Daytona Beach Shootout for both schools. 

The Generals (3-5) led 42-35 entering the final period but went cold from the field, hitting just 2-of-19 (.105) shots in the final 15 minutes, including 0-for-11 from beyond the arc.  Conversely, the Crusaders (5-4) nailed 7-of-14 (.500) field goals in the fourth period to pull out the win.

Senior guard Paige Corvino (Clarendon Hills, Ill. / Fenwick) and junior guard Jackie Clifford (Tenafly, N.J. / Tenafly) both made shots in the first 3:39 of the fourth, as W&L held a 46-41 lead with 6:21 to play.  The Crusaders took their first lead since early in the first quarter on a layup by junior center Tyra Roberts with 3:13 remaining as part of a 13-0 run to close the game.

W&L assumed the lead with 2:58 left in the first period following four straight points from senior forward Katie Wildes (Massapequa Park, N.Y. / Our Lady of Mercy Academy) for an 8-6 advantage.  The lead grew to as many as 14 points (34-20) with 8:40 left in the third quarter after sophomore guard Emily Perszyk (Greendale, Wis. / Greendale) scored nine points by herself over a span of 2:50 on the game clock.

Alvernia cut it to a one-point game (35-34) after a layup by senior guard Stevie Fortna with 2:32 left in the third period, but the Generals pushed back out to a seven-point advantage (42-35) following a Corvino three-pointer with 32 seconds left in the penultimate quarter.

For the game, W&L shot just 24.0 percent (18-75) from the floor, but committed just 10 turnovers.  Perszyk led the way with 14 points and six rebounds.  Corvino had seven points, nine rebounds and five steals to move into 10th-place all-time at W&L for career steals (150).  Wildes added seven points as well.

Roberts paced the Crusaders with 21 points and 17 rebounds.  First-year forward Miranda Hoover chipped in seven points and 10 boards.  As a team, Alvernia shot 23-of-62 (.371) from the floor.

Washington and Lee will take on Chatham on Monday at 12:00 pm in the second day of the Daytona Beach Shootout.

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