MILWAUKEE -- The visiting Lawrence University Vikings came into Reiman Gymnasium looking to break their 33-game losing streak, but a late second half run by host Alverno College extended the streak to 34, with a 75-63 nonconference result.
The Alverno women's basketball team, which led by as many as 12 points in the first half, allowed Lawrence (0-1) to climb back in the game and take a double-digit lead of their own, 52-42, with just over 10 minutes to play.
"We have a lot of young players and they haven't been game tested," Alverno head Coach Brad Duckworth said.
The Inferno had two freshmen in their starting lineup and saw minutes from two others in the game. Yet it was newcomer, junior transfer Shataya McComb (Kingston, N.Y) that provided a spark off the bench.
Down 10 with 10 to go, the Inferno found themselves under pressure, but then put on the pressure.
"Our full court pressure won us the game," Duckworth said. "McComb was a spark plug in that, and played well."
McComb, who finished the game with 14 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists, had three steals in a stretch where the Inferno scored 12 straight points to take a two point lead with 6 minutes remaining.
Senior guard Lisa Sorgi (Milwaukee, Wis./Greenfield) started the run with a steal and a score. Sorgi, the team's lone senior and program's all-time leading scorer, saw only 3 minutes of playing time in the first half due to foul trouble and was scoreless at intermission.
"In the first half, this young team responded well without their senior for a while," Duckworth said. "But Lisa's not going to let us lose. We won because of our senior captain, Lisa."
Sorgi went on to score 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor and was 4-of-6 from the foul line, all in the second half.
The Vikings would tie the game once more at 54-54, but then a Sorgi jumper gave Alverno the lead for good, outscoring the visitors 21-9 the remaining 6 minutes.
To begin the game Alverno held Lawrence without a field goal until the 10:40 mark when Cathy Kaye (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) scored on a layup. The Vikings had only four first half field goals, but trailed by only six, 31-25, at the half.
"They were 24-of-28 from the free throw line and that shows you a heck of a lot," said Duckworth. "It shows you we can't defend and they can make free throws."
The Vikings shot over 85 percent from the line for the game, missing only a pair of free throws in each half. The Inferno were a dismal 12-of-20 from the free throw line.
Katie Condon (East Troy, Wis.) led Lawrence with a game-high 18 points and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the line.
Alverno, which shot over 55 percent in the second period and forced the Vikings into 33 turnovers, had five players score in double figures. In addition to McComb and Sorgi, Alicia Kontowski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) had 12, freshman Kelsey Kochanowski (Oak Creek, Wis.) scored 11, and freshman center Rachel Diedrich (Two Rivers, Wis.) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Inferno are next in action this weekend as they head to the Forester Tip-Off Tournament in Lake Forest, Ill. Alverno takes on the host, Lake Forest College, on Friday at 8 p.m., and will play either Loras College or Concordia University Wisconsin at either 1 or 3 p.m. on Saturday.
