DELAWARE, Ohio - The Gators earned their first North Coast Athletic Conference victory of the season, blanking Ohio Wesleyan 1-0.
Senior
Niki Augustine's goal in the 27th minute proved to be all the offense the Gators would need, as the visitors held the Battling Bishops to just six shots, and freshman keeper
Christina Gallagher was forced to make just three saves in earning her first career shutout victory.
The victory moves the Gators to 3-9-2 overall and 1-1-2 in the NCAC, while the Battling Bishops fall to 1-11-1 (0-4 NCAC).
Owning the better of play throughout the first half, the Gators looked to get on the board following a corner kick in the eighth minute.
Lauren Miller arched it toward the box, where it was picked up by teammate
Isabella Martinez. Her blast looked to be headed for paydirt, until an OWU defender knocked it away for the team save.
Continuing to press the issue on offense, the Gators finally found the scoreboard on their sixth shot of the first half, again creating the opportunity off of a corner kick. Miller again lofted it into traffic in front, where Augustine outleaped the defense to direct it home with her head for her second goal of the season, putting the Gators up 1-0 with 17:30 left in the first half.
The Gators maintained their offensive pressure, putting forth four more shots over the final 15 minutes of the opening stanza, but could not add an equalizer, as Ohio Wesleyan keeper Mackenzie Brunke made three saves over the span. Allegheny ended the first half with a 9-1 advantage in shots, while taking four of the six first half corner kicks.
Ohio Wesleyan came out of the intermission looking for the equalizer, posting the first four shots of the second half. Gallagher preserved the lead, making a pair of saves over the span, and the Gators would again control play, allowing just one Ohio Wesleyan shot over the final 29 minutes of action.
Maintaing possession for much of the match's final 25 minutes, the Gators put forth four shots over the span, but couldn't add an insurance tally. Brunke made three saves down the stretch, including a stop on a penalty with three minutes left.
Allegheny finished with a total of 16 shots for the match, led by three from Augustine. Brunke had seven saves for the Bishops.
The Gator defense limited Ohio Wesleyan to just six shots, the lowest amount surrendered by Allegheny on the season.
The Gators will now play three of their next four matches at the friendly confines of the Robertson Athletic Complex, beginning with a 4 p.m. tilt against NCAC foe Hiram on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
