GRANVILLE, Ohio- Junior Hannah Zangara scored the game-winner for the Gators in the 63rd minute as Allegheny opened up the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) campaign with a 1-0 win over Denison on Saturday afternoon at Barclay-Thomsen Field.

Zangara found the back of the net after a cross by junior Olivia Cushman was stopped by the fellow third year and deposited into the lower left 90 from 10 yards out, giving Allegheny the lead to culminate a definitive swing of momentum from the first half to the second.  Senior Gabby Curtis recorded her fifth shutout of the season with a season-high eight saves.

After being outshot, 12-2, in the first half, Allegheny responded with a 13-5 shot advantage in the latter half that helped lead to Zangara's game-winner.  Denison held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks, including three in the second half, but the Gators were able to keep the Big Red away from the net for their sixth shutout win this season.

Curtis stood firm in the early portion of the first half, making five saves in the first 22 minutes for the Blue and Gold.  The Denison defense held Allegheny to only two shots, attempted by senior Niki Augustine and freshman Sarah Donohue neither of which were turned towards the Big Red net, while the Denison offense launched 12 total shots, including the five that Curtis stopped in the opening stanza.

Allegheny increased the offensive intensity to jump-start the second half, placing three shots on goal in the first two minutes.  The Gators then picked up back-to-back corner kick opportunities in the 53rd minute, maintaining their intensity leading up to the goal from Zangara.  Curtis made her final save of the afternoon in the 76th minute, as Allegheny kept the Big Red away from the Gator net over the final 10 minutes of the contest.

The Gators will next travel to Gambier, Ohio to battle the Ladies of Kenyon College at 12 p.m.