READING, Pa. – Sophomore Nina Mazzarelli poured in a career-high 30 points and Albright advanced to the championship game of the MAC Commonwealth Tournament with a 71-62 victory over Lebanon Valley on Wednesday in the Bollman Center.
 
Albright will host Messiah on Saturday (Feb. 27) at 2 p.m. in the Bollman Center looking to secure the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. It marks the second consecutive season in which the Lions have advanced to the championship game, but Saturday will be the first time in school history Albright has hosted the title game.
 
Albright, which improved to 24-2 on the season, ran its winning streak to a school-record 12 straight behind the play of Mazzarelli and senior Kelecia Harris.
 
Mazzarelli was 12-of-16 from the floor and tied her own school record by making all five of her three-point attempts to finish with 30 points.
 
While Mazzarelli dominated the outside, Harris dominated the inside. She finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds and become the school's all-time record holder in career rebounds with 1,030. She moved past Alison Koch, who had 1,016 rebounds, into first place in the Lion record books.
 
Sophomore Jane Joyce added 11 points and five steals, while Alysha Lofton finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
Albright built a 19-point lead late in the third quarter and then held off a strong comeback by the Dutchmen.
 
Mazzarelli scored 13 first-quarter points to help the Lions take an 18-7 lead after one quarter of play.
 
Harris gave Albright a 20-7 lead when she scored inside with 9:27 to play in the second quarter.
 
Lebanon Valley, which dropped to 17-10, answered with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 22-17 with 5:41 to play before halftime.
 
Harris and Mazzarelli scored back-to-back baskets to increase the lead to 26-17 with 3:36 to play in the second quarter.
 
After a Mazzarelli layup gave the Lions a 28-19 lead, the Dutchmen responded with a 4-0 run to trim the lead to 28-23.
 
Lofton converted a layup with 10 seconds to go in the first half that gave the Lions a 30-23 lead at the break.
 
Mazzarelli capped a 7-0 Albright run to open the third quarter with a three-pointer to extend the Lions lead to 37-23 at the 7:54 mark of the third.
 
Back-to-back baskets by Bridget Rothert brought Lebanon Valley to within 37-27, but Joyce converted a layup and Mazzarelli drilled a three-pointer to increase the lead to 42-27 at the 5:16 mark of the third quarter.
 
After a layup by Taylor Troutman, Albright used a 6-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 48-29 with 31 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
Albright held a 52-34 lead following baskets by Harris and Lofton, but Lebanon Valley would mount a comeback.
 
The Dutchmen used an 11-0 run to climb to within 52-45 with 5:06 left in the game.
 
Mazzarelli ended the run with a layup, but Rothert answered with a three-pointer and Kiely Chaklos added two free throws to bring the Dutchmen to within 54-50 with 4:17 to play.
 
Emily O'Donnell converted a pair of free throws and Harris made 1-of-2 free throws to push the Albright lead to 57-50 with 3:57 remaining in the game.
 
A three-point play by Chaklos got Lebanon Valley to within 57-53, but Albright responded with three points from Harris and a free throw from Joyce to up the lead to 61-53 with 1:54 to play.
 
Lebanon Valley made one last push and got to within 64-60 on a three-pointer by Rothert, but the Lions made 7-of-10 free throw attempts down the stretch to secure the victory.