By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

BRUNSWICK – Alvernia College didn’t have any idea what was coming Saturday night.

Film and paper don’t give second-ranked Bowdoin its due. So great was the gap between perception and reality that Alvernia truly never believed it would ride back to Reading, Pa., with a second-round loss in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, let alone wind up on the business end of a 69-46 shellacking.

“It’s tough to tell the quality of athletes on tape. Bowdoin exceeded all my expectations,” said Alvernia coach Kevin Calabria. “They’re pretty good. Tonight, they were better than us. Maybe every night they’re better than us.”

Bowdoin (25-2) rolled into the Sweet 16 for the fifth straight season.

Eileen Flaherty scored 25 points to lead the Polar Bears to their 55th straight win at Morrell Gymnasium before a crowd of 1,530.

Justine Pouravelis put up 14 points and Marisa Berne added 11, all but one in the first half, for the Polar Bears.

They’ll meet Oswego State in the regional semifinals on Friday. Time and location will be announced today.

Kacie Androsko led Alvernia (24-6) with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Ashley Shrawder had 10, including three 3-pointers.

The Crusaders entered the second round of the national tournament riding a 14-game winning streak. It was apparent early, however, that victories over Misericordia, Immaculata and Arcadia didn’t properly equip Alvernia for a date with the defending national runner-up.

“I didn’t think their defense could stop us,” said Androsko. “We thought we’d be the ones running up and down the floor, but it became obvious about seven minutes into the game that it was the other way around.”

Pouravelis understands the false sense of security.

“I think our level of intensity varies a little bit,” the junior forward said in a moment of brutal honesty. “Our highest level of intensity is bound to surprise a lot of the teams we play.”

Alvernia went 6-for-26 from the field and committed 11 turnovers in the first half. The Polar Bears rode out four early lead changes, asserted their will in the paint and along the perimeter and accelerated to a 36-21 halftime lead.

Flaherty returned to form after a mild slump in last weekend’s NESCAC tournament. She scored in almost every conceivable fashion in the first half, rolling up 11 points on two free throws, a putback, a jumper from the top of the key, a transition lay-up and a traditional 3-point play.

“It felt good. I went through a rough stretch,” said Flaherty, “but I just wanted to keep being aggressive and taking my shots.”

Pouravelis and Berne gave Alvernia fits, as well.

Berne knocked down two 3-pointers to trigger a 10-point run and put Bowdoin up by nine at 15-6.

Pouravelis scored six in the half and was a constant defensive disruption.

Bowdoin coach Stefanie Pemper saw a different side of Alvernia on video, as well.

“They were impressive,” Pemper said. “We felt they had youth and experience, athleticism, strength and depth. We thought we were going to have to play very well, and we did.”

Alvernia has never advanced past the second round of the NCAAs.

Bowdoin limited Alvenia’s leading scorer Erin McIntyre to five points on 1-of-10 shooting.

“They beat us up the court many times,” McIntyre said. “They’re really quick and they’re really good.”