MEADVILLE, Pa. - Shannon McGuinn's breakaway goal in the 78th minute was all the offense that Allegheny needed in its 1-0 win over North Coast Athletic Conference foe Ohio Wesleyan at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.

With just over 12 minutes remaining, McGuinn took a long through ball from Isabella Martinez and connected on the game-winner from just inside 10 yards out. The Battling Bishops looked to put together a late rally, but the Gator defense held strong, as over the final nine minutes, keeper Maya Hackman made a pair of saves, while the Gator defense forced a pair of errant shots, to preserve the shutout. 

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Gators, who improve to an even 6-6 overall, and 1-1 in the NCAC. Ohio Wesleyan dropped its third straight, falling to 4-6-1 overall and 1-2 in the conference.  The win was the first for Allegheny over the Battling Bishops since 2015, snapping OWU's two-game winning streak in the series.

Hackman ended the evening with seven saves to earn the shutout win, her fourth of the year. In an evenly-played game throughout, both teams were credited with 16 shots and three corner kicks. Five different players were credited with at least two shots for Allegheny, led by four apiece from Taylor Renk and Hannah Smith.  

The Battling Bishops had the better of the play early on, taking the game's first five shots in the opening 20 minutes. Hackman came up with two saves over the span, while the Gator defense also blocked a pair. Allegheny gained momentum in the 25th minute, as Smith was saved twice by Brunke, while a Renk attempt was also blocked. 

Ohio Wesleyan countered, taking four shots between the 33rd and 37th minute, but again came up empty. Hackman gobbled up a header following a corner kick with 10:19 left in the half, before the Gator defense dodged a bullet two minutes later when Ashley Smiley's one-on-none breakaway shot missed just outside the far post. Smiley's breakaway was the last real scoring threat in the first half for either squad, as the game entered the intermission in a scoreless tie.

The Gators upped the offensive pressure to open the second half, but couldn't connect for the first goal despite out-shooting the Bishops 6-0 over the first 10 minutes.  Another Allegheny flurry midway through the half produced three shots in a 90-second span, before OWU's ensuing possession resulted in a pair of big Hackman saves off of shots by Julia Dickman in the 73rd minute, first on a breakaway, and then on the rebound. 

After the corner kick that ensued from Hackman's second save on Dickman, the Gators quickly advanced in transition. Martinez missed on a rip from 15 yards with 13:30 remaining, but the Battling Bishops were unable to completely clear the defensive zone. Martinez intercepted the Ohio Wesleyan goal kick just inside midfield, took a few dribbles in traffic, and sent a pass to space 20 yards ahead. The pass perfectly led McGuinn to a clean breakaway, and the sophomore easily buried the blast inside the right post for her team-best fifth goal of the season.

Ohio Wesleyan's last-ditch attack produced four shots over the game's final 10 minutes,but Hackman came up big, first taking a point-blank blast to her chest, before again stopping Smiley on a breakaway from 10 yards out with 4:30 to go. The Gators would then effectively run out the clock, possessing the ball for most of the final four minutes to close out the win.

Ohio Wesleyan's Mack Brunke was credited with five saves in goal, while Smiley and Dickman each had five shots to top the Battling Bishops. 

The Gators return to action on Wed. Oct. 10 with a 7:30 p.m. match at NCAC foe Hiram.