Grantham, PA - Messiah College continued their strong start to the season with ninth win in as many tries, this time 72-48 over Alvernia University on Saturday afternoon in Brubaker Auditorium. Gillian Glackin led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, with Kaitlin Hoff (13 points) and Maci Thornton (12) also in double figures.

The win pushed the Falcons to 9-0 this season, matching the 2012-13 team for the program's best-ever start. Alvernia fell to 0-7 with the loss.

Messiah's lopsided win started with a 13-0 run that stretched until the 4:14 mark of the first quarter. Glackin scored the first six points of that stretch, and Thornton (three-pointer) and Hoff (back-to-back jumpers) putting the Falcons up big and forcing a timeout. After Torie Zerbe hit a jumper to get the Crusaders on the board, Hoff hit a three-pointer of her own to make it 16-2.

Alvernia battled back to trail by just 10 points (18-8) at the end of the first quarter, but a steal by Hannah Brown and fastbreak finish by Hoff soon put Messiah up 25-14 in the second quarter, and Messiah never again led by less than double digits. Leah Springer and Thornton also hit shots from downtown near the end of the frame to help the Falcons go up 17 points, but a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Maya Cooper cut the Crusaders' deficit to 40-26 at the half. 

Messiah's big first-half was helped along by just a single turnover and 47% shooting (15-32) from the field. On the other side, Alvernia gave the ball up 13 times in the first 20 minutes, and the Falcons held a 15-0 advantage in points off turnovers at the break.

At the start of the third quarter Messiah kept the pressure on as Maci Thornton grabbed a steal and fed Hoff on the fastbreak for another bucket. On their next two possessions Glackin and Jocelyn Chavous collected finishes around the rim and Messiah had a 20-point lead, 46-26.

Despite those quick points, Messiah was a bit stagnant in the frame as Alvernia used a zone defense to force execution in the half-court. Hannah Brown helped them break out of a fog in the final minutes, however, with three-pointers at the 3:35 and 1:24 marks. That final shot from deep put Messiah up 57-38.

All told the Falcons went 9-22 from deep, with Thornton hitting four of six attempts for all 12 of her points.

In the fourth quarter the Falcons outscored Alvernia 13-9 en route to their eighth 70-point output in nine games this season. They also finished Saturday's game with an impressive 28-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

Maci Thornont added three assists and five steals to her 12 points, and Jen Fairbanks also dished out three assists to go along with four points. Alvernia was led by the 14 points of Cooper and 10 points of Abbie Zerbe.

Messiah will next play at the end of next week when they take part in the Puerto Rico Shootout.