By Adam Cohen, Athletic Communications Assistant

HIRAM, Ohio -- The Allegheny's women soccer team defeated Hiram 3-2 on Thursday (Oct. 28) in a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) matchup. The Gators first conference win of the season brings their record to 5-10-1 overall, 1-4-1 in NCAC play.
 
Hiram opened up the scoring in the last minute of the first half by taking advantage of a free kick. However, Allegheny responded just 29 seconds into the second half. From 25 yards out on the left wing, Taylor McKindley (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) curved the ball off the right goalpost, before ricocheting off Hiram's goalkeeper and into the net to tie the game at one. 
 
Less than two minutes later, Allegheny drilled in its second point of the game with a clean assist via a header by Alex Klare (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) before Emily Orr (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon Area) collected her second goal of the season.
 
Then in the 51st minute of the game, the Gators effectively utilized a corner kick that put Maddy Hill (Volant, Pa./Wilmington) in position to head the ball over to McKindley for her second goal of the evening.
 
Hiram kept the game close by picking up its second goal in the 74th minute of the game after two consecutive corner kicks. Nevertheless, starting goalkeeper Gabby Culotta (Willoughby, Ohio./Andrews Osborne Academy) and second half netminder Kaitlynn Rees (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton Union) combined for seven saves to keep Allegheny out in front.
 
Allegheny will try to end the season with back-to-back wins as they face Wittenberg on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. on the Robertson Blue Turf.