MILWAUKEE -- Back-to-back 3-pointers by Gabby Allen (Milwaukee/Bay View) gave Alverno College a five-point cushion with 4 minutes remaining and the Inferno held on for the 63-57 Northern Athletics Conference victory over visiting Milwaukee School of Engineering in the first "Red Rivalry" game tonight in Reiman Gymnasium.

Alverno head coach Brad Duckworth was encouraged by his senior captain's play, "It was great to see a returning first-team all-conference senior--arguably the best scorer in school history--say 'no more, we're going to win, give me the ball' and she did just that."

Allen went on to score the next six Inferno points for 12 straight, but the Raiders (7-10, 4-6 NAC) kept it close and cut the lead to just two points on a pair of free throws by Heather Miller with 30 seconds remaining. As the Inferno inbounded the ball freshman guard Kristen Speerschneider (New Franken, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) was quickly fouled and sank a pair of free throws--two of her nine points--to increase the lead to 61-57. Speerschneider then forced the Raiders to turn the ball over and came up with the steal and Alicia Kontowski (South Milwaukee, Wis.) sealed the victory with two more from the line, for two of her team-high 17 points.

"We've been waiting and waiting for this to become personal--individually and collectively--and everyone did their part," said Duckworth. "We finally got after it tonight."

The Inferno (7-9, 4-6) didn't get off to a great start, as they trailed 9-0 just 3:30 into the game. They trailed the entire first half, and were in a 30-22 deficit at the break.

But the Inferno made the second half their half as they opened the period with a 13-0 run to take their first lead of the game. Kayla Kennedy (Trempealeau, Wis./G-E-T) started the half with a pair of layups to begin the Inferno run.

A pair of free throws by Hannah Galstad (Holmen, Wis.), a fast-break layup and 3-pointer by Alyssa Jensen (Cudahy, Wis.) and a final put-back by Kontowski completed the run.

Alverno's defense forced 16 second-half turnovers led by Speerschneider's game-high six steals, while Shataya McComb (Kingston, N.Y.) added three and Allen and Jensen had two takeaways apiece.

Alverno shot 50 percent (12-of-24) in the half, including 5-of-10 from downtown, and shot over 70 percent from the charity stripe (12-of-17) after going only 1-of-2 in the first period.

The Inferno are next in action on Tuesday as they host Lakeland College in a NAC contest. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Reiman Gymnasium.