GRANTHAM, Pa. - The top-seeded Messiah women's basketball team and the eighth-seeded Alvernia Golden Wolves were deadlocked at 28-28 after 20 minutes of play in the MAC Commonwealth Quarterfinals. The Falcons used a 13-2 run in the middle of the third quarter to create some separation en route to a 74-60 victory over the Golden Wolves. The victory moves Messiah into the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals on Friday night against the fifth-seeded Albright Lions.
 
Morgan Adams led the Falcons with 20 points in the contest on an efficient 9-14 effort from the floor. Eleana Eckley (17 points) and Reese Harden (14) joined Adams in double figures while Leah Springer had a quiet scoring night, but finished with eight assists and a game-high 16 rebounds. With her 15th double-digit rebound game of the season, Springer sets a new program record for rebounds. Her 1,009 career rebounds at four more than Alecia Rohrer's 1,005 career boards.
 
As mentioned, the victory moves Messiah into the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals on Friday night at a time to be determined. Since the Falcons are the top seed in the tournament, Messiah and Albright will play on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena on Friday.
 
Tight Start
Messiah and Alvernia both went on mini runs throughout the opening half to get to a deadlocked score at 28-28 after 20 minutes of play. Messiah started in the driver's seat first by building a 13-7 lead after six minutes of action. By the end of the first quarter, Messiah held a 15-10 lead, thanks to buckets from four different players. Sidney Stutzman led the Falcons in the opening quarter with five points that came on back-to-back possessions.
 
After Eleana Eckley connected on a layup early in the second quarter, Alvernia pulled the game within a bucket in the middle of the quarter after a Fastbreak jumper from Tyra Robinson made it 20-18. Back-to-back buckets from Morgan Adams made it a 24-18 game. Later in the period, Leah Springer knocked down a pair of free throws to bump the Falcons' lead to seven at 28-21. The Golden Wolves ended the half with seven-straight points in the final 1:46 of the half to tie the game 28-28.
 
Falcons Pull Away
Alvernia took at three-point at 35-32 with 6:48 left in the third quarter before the Falcons went on a key 13-2 run in the middle of the period. Five different Falcons scored on the run as the Falcons opened up a 47-37 lead in the final minute of the period.
 
Messiah's run continued into the early moments of the fourth quarter. Eleana Eckley knocked down a jumper with 7:38 remaining in the game to give Messiah a 55-40 lead.
 
The Golden Wolves did not go quietly, pulling within six points at 61-53 midway through the period. Despite the late push, Messiah held strong and coasted to the double-digit victory over the final minutes of the game.
 
Springer Sets Program Rebounding Record
On Wednesday night, Leah Springer grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds and in the process set a new program record for career rebounds. Springer entered the game 12 rebounds behind Alecia Rohrer's 1,005 career boards. With a defensive rebound right around the three-minute mark in the fourth-quarter, Springer picked up her 1,006th career record to set a new program record.
 
Springer remains on the career scoring record watch, needing just 71 more points to tie the career record of 1,802 points set by Christina Vouriotis.
 
What's Up Next
With the victory, Messiah advances to the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals against the fifth-seeded Albright Lions on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena. The Lions earned a mini upset by defeating the fourth-seeded Stevenson Mustangs 66-65, by making a pair of free throws with no time on the clock. Messiah defeated Albright two times this season with wins of 58-42 and 61-49.