WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Gators closed the Worthington Classic with a 2-2 record after a split on the second day of competition.  Allegheny defeated Rowan, 3-0, after dropping Saturday's opener against the hosting Bison in the tournament held by Gallaudet University.

Junior Taylor Samuel led the Gators past the Profs with a team-high eight kills, hitting a .208 clip in the match.  In a match won, 25-17, 25-14, 25-20 by the Blue and Gold, the Allegheny front line played a key role in the win.

The Gators finished the match with 10 total team blocks, led by seven block assists by junior Sarah Swartz.  Sophomore Bailey Gawley closed a strong week with five block assists and seven kills, as senior Catherine Kasianowicz recorded a team-high 16 digs while tying Swartz with a team-high three aces.

Kasianowicz led the Gators to a 5-1 lead in the first set against Rowan, as the Gators led the match, 16-10 after a block by Swartz and Gawley.  Kasianowicz closed the first set on a five-point streak, sending the Gators to a 5-1 lead in the second.  After the Profs tied the match, 6-6, Allegheny erupted for a 13-5 run to take a 19-11 lead.  A Rowan timeout did little to quiet the Allegheny momentum, as the Gators closed the second set on a 6-3 run to go up, 2-0.

Rowan led, 13-10, in the third set with the hope of forcing additional sets.  Allegheny took the lead right back after a six-point run, eventually building a 23-17 lead after an additional string of four unanswered points, including an ace from freshman Terra Schall.  Samuel ended the match and Allegheny's Worthington Classic schedule with scorching, cross-court kill.

Against Gallaudet, Swartz picked up a team-high seven kills against the Bison as Schall recorded a game-high 17 digs.  Gallaudet finished the match hitting .282 as a team, posting 44 kills for the three-set win. 

In the first set against Gallaudet, Allegheny led, 8-7 before Gallaudet used an 11-5 run to take a 17-12 lead.  The Gators snagged momentum right back, using a 10-7 run of their own to close the gap to 24-22, but the Bison clinched the set after a timeout, earning an early, 1-0 advantage.  The Bison then hit .419 in the second set, turning a five-point run to start the set into an eventual 25-11 win to take the 2-0 lead.

The third set saw Allegheny make an inspired comeback attempt when trailing 19-9.  The Gators erupted on a 11-4 scoring run that brought the Bison lead to three, but the tournament hosts scored the next two points to halt the Gator rally and end the match.

Allegheny will return to the David V. Wise Center for a pair of matches next week, starting with a 7 p.m. match against North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Oberlin on Sept. 30 before a 1 p.m. bout against conference opponent Kenyon on Saturday, Oct. 4.