FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – An 8-0 run at the start of the second overtime sparked a 21-point period and made the difference as the Marian University women's basketball team upended Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference foe Alverno College, 86-74, in double overtime inside Sadoff Gymnasium, this afternoon, Jan. 25.

Tied at 65-all after 45 minutes, the Sabres (4-14, 4-9 NACC) surged for the first eight points of the second overtime to take a 73-65 lead, capping the run with a Sarah Olewinski three-point play. The momentum swing forced Alverno (12-6, 9-4 NACC) to take a timeout, but was too late. Marian cruised to a 21- 9 advantage in the final session to dispatch the visiting Inferno and snap a 10-game skid.

"I challenged my team to put together a full 40 minutes," Head Coach Bill Peters said. "Well, they put together a full 50 minutes! Both teams battled, scratched and clawed, but we were able to come out on top."

Amelia Mirsberger led all scorers with a game-high 21 poitns on 6-for-11 shooting, including 3-for-7 from three and 6-for-6 effort from the free throw line. Olewinski added 19 points, while Sarah Albert and Dani Huray added 16 and 13 points, respectively. Jessica Roberts hauled in a team-high 10 rebounds and finished two points shy of a double-double.

Marian ended the first half with a perfectly drawn up play to cut the deficit to one. The Sabres, needing to go the length of the floor, broke a light Alverno press and found Albert in the corner for a three-pointer with three seconds remaining. After squandering a five-point lead earlier, it was just the momentum boost Marian was looking for heading into the locker room.

In the second half, the Sabres shot just 7-for-23, but got the job done at the free throw line with a 13-for-14 effort to keep the game close. Marian went on to finish the game an impressive 29-for-31 at the charity stripe, while Alverno went just 17-for-32.

Leading by five points with 4:28 left in regulation, the Sabres fell into a lull offensively. Meanwhile, the Inferno was able to fight back and take a brief lead after Tessa Mersberger and Devon Gorman combined for a pair of three's to give the Inferno a 7-0 run and a 55-53 lead with 2:28 left.

Emma Jarvey would connect on two free throws with 1:26 left and neither team would score again as the game headed to overtime. In the first extra session, the Sabres jumped out to a 65-60 lead, but couldn't hold on as Gorman clawed the Inferno back again, scoring the team's final six points to tie the game at 65 and force yet another overtime period.

Gorman finished with a team-high 20 points on 6-for-19 shooting to go with 10 rebounds, while Kristen Speerschneider added 14 points.

The decisive second overtime session began with a Huray layup followed by a Nicole Paulus three to make it 70-65. Olewinski then made what might have been the play of the game with a steal and finish at the other end, getting the foul and converting the free throw to add to it, while putting the game out of reach in the process.

"I was very pleased with the way were able to sustain our energy at both ends of the floor," Peters said. "That's why I stressed 40 minutes and a sense of urgency on every possession. This was an absolute must-win and they responded."

Marian went 15-for-15 at the free throw line in the two overtimes and outscored the Inferno 32-28 in the paint for the contest.

The Sabres will begin a two-game road trip as they head to Madison to take on Edgewood College Wednesday, Jan. 29. Tip is set for 7 p.m.