MILWAUKEE – The Alverno basketball team opened its home season on Wednesday evening, hosting the Beloit Buccaneers and falling to its guest by a 71-54 margin.
 
After trailing by 15 points at halftime, the Inferno made a strong effort in the third quarter attempting to chip away at the deficit and were able to get within a dozen heading into the fourth period. The Buccaneers escaped with the late runaway scoring effort to notch the 17-point win.
 
Alverno was led by freshman Adrianna Sapp, who had 14 points on the night going 7-of-11 from the field while also adding six rebounds. Classmate Camiria Sardin had 10 points off the bench as she went 5-for-5 from the floor and was two rebounds shy of a double-double, while also adding a block.
 
Junior Mya Roberts had nine points and led the Inferno with four steals, while also collecting two assists. Sophomore Morgan Golabowski had eight points and two steals with two assists, while classmate Jewel Zahradka had five rebounds and two assists to go along with a pair of steals.
 
Freshman Morgan Whitten collected four points and had three steals, while also recording six rebounds and a team-best three assists. Sophomore Olivia Daugherty was also tied for the team-lead with three assists, as she picked up three points and two rebounds with a steal. Freshman Riley Spencer had two points and two assists, with junior Victoria Parra rounding out the scoring with a bucket.
 
Newcomer Marian Smith had one assists and one steal, while freshman Kyla Jamerson made her home debut for the Inferno.
 
Sapp kicked off the scoring for the Inferno right off the tip off of a pass by Spencer, before Beloit scored the next nine points. Golabowski knocked down a three to pull the Inferno back within four before the Buccaneer lead swelled to 10. Roberts got the Inferno back within seven on a three-pointer but Beloit closed out the quarter to take a 12-point lead into the second quarter.
 
Scoring was not too frequent in the second quarter for either side, with Beloit outscoring the Inferno at a 10-7 clip to take a 15-point lead into the break.
 
Sardin opened up the scoring in the second half with a layup before a three-pointer by Beloit answered the initial Inferno basket. With the Buccaneers leading by 21, Sardin converted on a layup on a Whitten pass before Whitten knocked down a pair from the stripe to shrink the deficit to 17. Sapp picked up another layup, followed by a pair at the stripe each from Parra and Spencer, before a layup by Sapp drew the Inferno within 10.
 
After scoring the final two points in the fourth and the first bucket of the fourth, Beloit's lead was once again 14. Alverno got back within 10 on a made layup by Zahradka at 2:41 left in the game, before a seven-point run by Beloit put the game away for the road team.
 
Alverno (0-3) will be back in action on Monday evening, when the Inferno takes on Mount Mary at 7 p.m. from the Bloechl Center. The game will be the inaugural 'What Made You Smile Today Kid' Classic in memory of former Inferno assistant Marc Heidorf, commemorative t-shirts will be available at the game with donations going to the Heidorf 'Signature Moments' fund.