MEADVILLE, Pa.- The Allegheny women's basketball team defeated nonconference opponent Bethany by a score of 58-43 to open the 2019 season. This win marks the third-straight season that the Gators have taken their season opener.

The Bison scored the first two points of the game, but the Gators quickly struck back and continued to apply the pressure as they took the lead at the end of the first period and held it for the remaining 33:38. 

Julianna Skowron (Sewickley, Pa./Oakland Catholic), the Gators returning leading point scorer, picked up right where she left off with a team high 14 points on 6-of-13 from the field. Chloe Rabold (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) followed with a career-high 12 points, shooting 4-of-6, and sinking three of her four triples, and Zoe Soilis (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) added ten more with a 33% shooting percentage.

Alexis Caldwell (Whitefish Bay, Wisc./Whitefish Bay), in her collegiate debut, led the attack with five assists to add to nine points and four rebounds. She was also a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line to add to the efficient showing of 77.8% for the team from the charity stripe.

Soilis led the team with seven boards, followed by Skowron and Caldwell with six. Zoe Youdell (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) and Kelechi Dimgba (Greece, N.Y./Greece Athena) both grabbed three rebounds in their first collegiate game.

Allegheny's defense held Bethany to 1-of-14 from beyond the three-point line, as they didn't allow a single triple after the first period. Caldwell spearheaded the defense with four steals, while Rabold took three and Brooke Smith (New Kensington, Pa./Burrell) stole two, adding to the Allegheny total of 11. This game is the first time the Gators have earned double-digit steals since December 10, 2018, when they had 13, also against Bethany.

The Gators are back in action as they host the Greg Richards '08 Memorial Tournament this coming weekend, with a game against Goucher at 3:00 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 15) and another against Grove City on Saturday (Nov. 16) at 1:00 p.m.