MILWAUKEE -- The Alverno College women's basketball team came away with a Northern Athletics Conference victory tonight at Reiman Gymnasium as they edged out South Division rival Benedictine University, 56-54, in Milwaukee.

The win is the first victory in school history over Benedictine in eight tries, and also marks the first time this season the Inferno chalked up back-to-back wins.

Alverno (6-7, 3-5 NAC) quickly scored on a layup by Lisa Sorgi (Milwaukee, Wis./Greenfield) on their first possession to go up, 2-0, but would then hit a cold streak. The Inferno wouldn't score again until 14:46 in the first half on a Joslyn Binkowski (Greenfield, Wis.) jump shot, still trailing 6-4.

Binkowski's jumper would begin a 12-0 run to give Alverno a 14-6 lead with 12:06 to play in the period. Benedictine (5-8, 2-5 NAC) would then use a 12-2 run to reclaim the lead, 18-16, at the 6:29 mark.

A three-point basket by Gabby Allen (Milwaukee, Wis./Bay View) with 4:13 remaining would give the Inferno the lead back, and a stretch of four free throws would keep the Inferno up going into the intermission, 34-29.

A three-point basket by freshman Alicia Kontowski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) with 16:59 left to play in the game would give Alverno their biggest lead of the game, 39-31. Benedictine would slowly chip into Alverno's lead, and take a three point advantage, 48-45, with 9:26 to go.

The Inferno would trail from that mark on, and not reclaim the lead until 54 seconds left to play when Bre Miller (Racine, Wis./Horlick) would hit Allen on a cut off the left wing to score the go ahead basket, 56-54.

Benedictine's Karyn Contery's (Palos Heights, Ill.) three-point attempt with time expiring would miss the mark, and Alverno came out with the victory.

Allen would have a game-high 18 points, going 7-of-15 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range.

Sorgi would also score in double figures with 15 points and had a game-high three steals. Miller would also hit doubles, scoring 11.

Binkowski would lead the team on the glass with nine rebounds and also led with four assists.

Benedictine was led in scoring by Monika Krozel (Norridge, Ill.) with 16 points, and had a game-high 11 rebounds for the Eagles.

The Inferno are next in action next Monday, Jan. 19 as they travel to Madison to take on Edgewood College at 7pm. They will then host Moody Bible Institute on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 7pm at Reiman Gymnasium.