ROCKFORD, Ill. (SabreAthletics.com) – Amelia Mirsberger and Sarah Albert carried the Marian University women's basketball team with 21 and 20 points, respectively, en route to a 62-61 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference victory over host Rockford University inside the Seaver Center, this afternoon, Dec .7.

Not a single free throw was attempted by either team in the first half, but the Sabres made up for it with a 20-for-26 effort in the second half, which proved to be the key to holding off a late Rockford run. Mirsberger went 9-for-10 from the charity stripe and 4-of-9 from three-point range to lead Marian with a game-high 21 points off the bench.

The Sabres improved to 2-5 overall, 2-1 in the NACC with the win, while the Regents fell to 3-3 (1-2 NACC) with the loss.

Marian took a 27-24 into halftime after going 7-for-21 from the three-point arc led by 10 first-half points from Albert, who went 4-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-3 from downtown.

Rockford, led by Lindsay Lengjak's 21 points, battled back early in the second half to take a five-point lead as late as 7:38 remaining.

At the 4:10 mark, two Molly Kovarik free throws broke a 46-46 tie and Marian never looked back. It was a stretch of 11 straight free throws made and helped increase the Sabre lead to as many as eight points when Dani Huray recorded two of her 10 points with a perfect trip to the free throw line, making it 58-50 with 42 seconds remaining.

However, the Regents still had some fight left in them, storming back to cut the deficit to two, 60-58, on Arielle Nichols' three-pointer with four seconds left.

Mirsberger would secure the ensuing inbounds pass and drain two free throws to stretch the lead to four points. A good thing she did as Cierra Johnson knocked down a triple with one second left.

Rockford dominated several facets of the contest, leading points in the paint, 26-4, and second-chance points, 20-2, but the Sabres made up for it at the free throw line with a solid effort.

Marian will have the week of finals off before preparing for a home match-up against Concordia University Chicago, Saturday, Dec. 14. Tip-off is set for 4:15 p.m.