GAMBIER, Ohio - The Allegheny women's soccer team saw its quest for a second consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference soccer championship thwarted, as the Gators fell 3-1 to top-seeded Kenyon College in the conference final.

The loss snaps a seven-game winning streak for Allegheny (15-6), which was making its third NCAC tournament final appearance in four years.  For the Kenyon Ladies (12-7-1), it marked their second victory over the Gators on the season, and the win sealed their first ever conference championship.

Things couldn't have started much better for the Gators, who scored the game's first goal less than a minute into the first half.  The Gators received the ball to start the game, and off the opening kick, senior Greta Hilbrands immediately led a rush down field.  After advancing deep inside the Kenyon penalty box, she was pulled down from behind, and was granted a penalty kick just 55 seconds into play.  Hilbrands banked it off the left post and into the net for her second successful PK of the season, and third goal overall.  

The Gator offense kept the pressure up, posting six shots over the game's first 16 minutes, but were unable to add an insurance tally.  After their first sustained possession of the game, Kenyon drew a Gator foul just outside of the penalty box.  The Ladies would make the Gators pay, as Maggie Smith scored off of the ensuing free kick to tie the game at 1-all in the 26th minute.

Kenyon would keep the momentum, and used a similar formula to take a 2-1 lead just four minutes later, as they took advantage of another foul and free kick with a goal by Gillian Blackwell with exactly 15 minutes left in the first half.

The remainder of the opening stanz was primarily contested in the middle third of the field, as each team would be credited with just one shot over the final 15 minutes of the half to send the game into the intermission with Kenyon enjoying the one-goal lead.

Allegheny again owned the better of the play to start the second half, controlling possession and out-shooting the Ladies 6-0 over the opening 20 minutes of the half.  The Gators were unable to score the equalizer, however, and Kenyon would add an insurance tally with just over 15 minutes left in regulation.  After the Ladies drew another Gator foul near midfield, Becca Romaine picked up the ball after the free kick and scored on a blast from 30 yards out to make the score 3-1 in the 75th minute.

The Gators responded with a furious charge, keeping the ball in the Kenyon third of the field for the duration of the game's final 15 minutes. During the final push, Allegheny was granted a pair of corner kicks, and saw a number of scoring chances,  with seven shots over the game's final six minutes.  However, two attempts were blocked, one hit a post, and three were saved by Kenyon goalkeeper Alyssa Poolpol, as the Ladies weathered the storm to seal the game.

Allegheny finished the afternoon with a 20-8 advantage in shots, including a 12-1 margin over the game's final 45 minutes.  Hilbrands led the Gators with four shots on the afternoon, while Tori Delzer and Jessie Thiessen were credited with three apiece.  Poolpol tallied seven saves for Kenyon in the win, while Allegheny keeper Gabby Curtis finished with two stops.

The Gators will now wait until Monday to learn if they receive an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, as the field will be announced at 1 p.m. on the NCAA Women's Soccer Selection Show at www.ncaa.com.