MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Gators used a dominant, game-opening run to pick up their first North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) win of the season, earning a 74-45 win over Hiram on Wednesday evening at Price Gymnasium.

Four Allegheny juniors scored in double-digits, led by 14 points from Jessica Mrdjenovich.  Both Mrdjenovich and classmate Emma Pellicano finished the contest shooting 5-of-11 from the field, as Pellicano finished the contest with 12 points.  Juniors Rachel Vigliotti and Kaitlyn Fromknecht both scored 10 points, as Vigliotti and Mrdjenovich each hit a pair of three-pointers.

Sophomore Meaghan Wilby led the Gators with 10 rebounds, helping the squad outrebound Hiram, 57-34.  Fromknecht tacked on nine rebounds and a team-high three blocks, as senior Kendall Hoffman and Pellicano each grabbed seven boards each.  The Gators finished the game shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from outside the arc.  Senior Marina Scarantino led the Gators with six assists.

Allegheny picked up their fourth consecutive win and are 4-2 on their current eight-game road trip.  After overtime win over Washington & Jefferson last Tuesday, Allegheny has combined to win the last two contests by an average of 25.5 points and picked up a win in the squad's conference opener for the sixth consecutive season.

The Gators erupted out of the gate for a 17-0 lead seven minutes into the contest. Allegheny out-rebounded Hiram, 13-2 during that span, as Mrdjenovich kept the momentum from Monday's game intact with seven points to help push the Gators to the huge early lead.  The Gators would hold the Terriers scoreless until the 12:24 mark of the first half. 

Hiram would make a run at the Allegheny lead, but shot 7-of-25 from the field in the first half, while the Gators drilled 16 jumpers for a 42.1 shooting percentage to take a 41-21 halftime lead.

Allegheny picked up 29 first-half rebounds, led by five each from Pellicano and Mrdjenovich.  Ending the half shooting 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, Mrdjenovich entered the break leading the Gators with 12 points.

In the second half, Allegheny led by as many as 32 points with 4:12 remaining in the half, building a 20-point advantage with the first bucket of the latter half and never looking back.

The Gators will next take on the Houghton Highlanders on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. before closing the eight-game road trip against Grove City on Monday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m.  Allegheny will return to the David V. Wise Center on Wednesday, Dec. 10, when they resume NCAC competition against Kenyon.