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LANCASTER, PA-- Franklin & Marshall guard Lauren Howanski (Sr., Gap, PA/Pequea Valley) finished with 11 assists and center Amy Abernathy (So., Far Hills, NJ/American School Paris) scored a career high 25 points as the Diplomats (9-4, 3-2 Centennial Conference) handed Alvernia College (10-4, 6-0 Pennsylvania Athletic Conference) a 77-66 defeat. Howanski, who scored 28 points in a 75-60 win over the Crusaders in Reading last year, dished out 11 assists and scored seven points as the Diplomats built a 45-31 lead at halftime. The two teams traded points in the first five minutes of the game before Abernathy scored six points off lay-ups in three consecutive possessions for a 13-8 lead. Alvernia would answer back as Crusader forward Tanisha Giddens sparked a 6-2 run to give Alvernia a 16-15 lead with 10:41 left to play in the first half. Down 24-22 with 7:35 left before the half, F&M went on a 10-0 run behind back-to-back three-pointers by Howanski and junior guard Jamie Drahos (Ambler, PA/Wissahickon) as the Diplomats outscored the Crusaders 23-7 to take a lead which they would not relinquish. Drahos would finish with 11 points in the game, all in the first half, going three-for-three from behind the arch and seven rebounds as the Diplomats earned their sixth straight win. In the second half, Alvernia would challenge the Diplomats with 10 minutes remaining on the game clock as Jen Sawyer hit back-to-back shots to pull the Crusaders within eight. But Howanski would answer with a jumper for a 59-49 lead. Alvernia would again cut the lead to nine at 60-51 with 7:56 left, but F&M would go on a 12-0 run marked by three consecutive baskets by guard Amy Kreitz (Sr., Allentown, PA/Salisbury) to push the lead to 21 and seal the win. Overall, Kreitz increased her career point total to 1,369 to remain fifth all-time at the College, while Howanski raised her four-year mark to 1,088. In addition, Howanski's total of 11 assists tonight was two short of the school record of 13 set by Audrey Kohart from a 1985 contest. With three-point baskets tonight, Howanski and Kreitz are now tied for third place all-time at the College in three-point field goals with 92, 17 off the second place total of Dina White '94 who drained 109. Alvernia was led by Sawyer and Giddens who finished with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Franklin & Marshall will next be in action on Thursday, January 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mayser Center versus the Greyhounds of Moravian College. Admission is free.
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