MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Sophomore Alysha Lofton converted a three-point play with 30 seconds to play in overtime and No. 8 Albright secured a spot in the Sweet 16 with a stirring 69-66 victory over Montclair State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Panzer Athletic Center.
 
Albright, which improved to 27-2 on the season, was taken to the limit by the Red Hawks who advanced to the Final Four last season. But time and time again, the Lions answered the challenge.
 
The Lions held a seemingly safe 58-55 lead with seven seconds to play in regulation following a pair of free throws by Nina Mazzarelli, but Katie Sire drained a three-pointer as the horn sounded to force overtime.
 
A lesser team likely would have wilted as Montclair State, playing on its home floor, had all the momentum entering the overtime period. Albright is not a lesser team.
 
Mazzarelli and Shannon Thomas began the overtime period with layups giving the Lions a 62-58 lead with 2:39 to play.
 
Sage Bennett responded with a three-pointer for the Red Hawks to cut the lead to 62-61 at the 2:30 mark, but a Mazzarelli layup increased the margin to 64-61 with 2:11 left in the game.
 
Sire hit a free throw and a layup to tie the score at 64-64 with 55 seconds remaining in the extra session, but Lofton answered with a driving layup that put the Lions ahead to stay.
 
A layup by Katie Tobie trimmed the lead to 67-66, but Kelecia Harris made a free throw with 25 seconds left to up the lead to 68-66.
 
MiKayla Lea, who played brilliantly for Albright off the bench, blocked a layup attempt by Sire and Thomas secured the rebound for the Lions with 12 seconds remaining in overtime.
 
Thomas made one free throw to increase the Lions lead to 69-66 and there would be no last-second heroics in overtime as the final Red Hawk shot was off the mark.
 
Albright faced its first real challenge of the game midway through the third quarter.
 
The Lions held a 22-21 lead at halftime, but the Red Hawks opened the third quarter with an 11-5 run to take a 32-27 lead with 5:41 left in the quarter.
 
Rachael Krauss did most of the damage for Montclair State as she drilled three three-pointers during the run.
 
Albright battled back and got to within 35-34 when Thomas hit a layup with 1:55 to play in the quarter, but Montclair State closed the third with a 6-2 run to take a 41-36 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
Lofton began the fourth quarter with a layup off a feed from Jane Joyce and Lea added a three-point play to tie the game at 41-41 with 8:14 left to play.
 
Harris put Albright back in front with a free throw, but Taylor Harmon gave the Red Hawks a 43-42 lead with 6:55 left in regulation.
 
The Lions rallied to tie the game at 46-46 on a three-point play by Lofton with 4:37 left in the fourth.
 
Thomas put Albright ahead with two free throws and Lea upped the lead to 50-46 with a layup at the 3:12 mark.
 
Lofton gave the Lions their largest lead of the second half at 52-46 with a pair of free throws at the 2:20 mark, but the Red Hawks responded with a 7-0 run to take a 53-52 lead with 1:04 left to play.
 
Lea made four consecutive free throws giving Albright a 56-53 lead with 15 seconds to play, but Harmon brought Montclair State to within 56-55 with a layup.
 
Mazzarelli then made a pair of free throws before Sire tied the game with a three-pointer at the horn.
 
Albright limited Montclair State to just 39.3 percent shooting from the floor, which included 29.2 percent shooting from the three-point line.
 
Harris finished with a team-high 17 points to lead the Lions, while Thomas added 16 points and four rebounds. Lofton had 12 points and nine rebounds, while Lea finished with nine points, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
 
Montclair State, which dropped to 22-7 overall, was led by Sire who had a game-high 20 points. Harmon had 17 points and Krauss finished with 12 points.
 
Albright will meet Tufts on Friday (March 11) at a site and time to be determined. The other half of the bracket will feature Scranton versus Christopher Newport.