READING, PA. -- The Gwynedd Mercy University Women's Basketball team returned back to action on Saturday when they traveled to Alvernia and returned home with a 58-39 victory over the Golden Wolves.

The Griffins (5-3) only trailed by one at halftime, but a defensive surge in the third quarter helped limit Alvernia to a total of 14 second-half points.

Bianca Adams led the Griffins with 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, all team highs. Sydney Thompson added 11, knocking down a trifecta of three pointers.

Trailing by five (7-2) early, the Griffins used a 7-0 run started by a Thompson three and a pair of free throws from Adams and Alison Szyszko to take a 9-7 lead with 3:36 remaining in the quarter. The Golden Wolves would retake the lead with a three pointer from Torie Zerbe and hold a 15-12 advantage after the first ten minutes of action.

GMercyU used a five-point run to start the second to take a 17-15 lead. Alvernia would go ahead courtesy of a 9-0 spurt to go up, 24-17. Thompson connected for her second triple to cut the lead to four and end the Golden Wolves run. Trailing by four in the closing seconds of the half Adams would drain a three pointer to beat the buzzer to pull within one (25-24) heading into the break.

In the third quarter, the Griffins would outscore Alvernia, 17-8, thanks in part to four triples in the stanza coming from Adams, Susan Bossler and Thompson. Marisa Sullivan would add an old fashioned three-point play as well during the spurt to take a 41-33 edge heading into the final quarter.

The Golden Wolves would cut the lead to six (43-37) early in the fourth on a three from Abbie Zerbe, but the Griffins would use a 11-0 run as part of a 15-2 stretch to close the contest out.

GMercyU outrebounded Alvernia, 46-39 with Adams and Roseman each sharing top honors with seven apiece.

Zerbe finished with five points and a team-high nine boards with Liz Andrefski totaling nine points to lead Alvernia (3-7).

For the game the Griffins shot 18-of-57 (31.6%), connecting on seven team three pointers and making 15-of-22 from the foul line. On the defensive end of the floor, the Griffins held Alvernia to 12-of-51 (23.5%) shooting and forced 21 team turnovers.

The Griffins will return back to action on Friday, December 29th and Saturday December 30th when they take part at the Juniata Holiday Classic. GMercyU will face Delaware Valley at 2 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday they will face the host Eagles or St. Lawrence University at 12 or 2 p.m.