MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny women's basketball team hosted Penn State Behrend in a back-and-forth contest Saturday (Nov. 27), but a fourth quarter push by the Lions run proved too much for the Gators as they fell 57-49.

Alexis Caldwell (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) put together a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double to lead the Gators. Additionally, she had team highs with five assists and three steals. Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) was second on the team with nine points to go alongside four rebounds and two assists. Breanna Warner (Hopewell, Pa./Sewickley Academy) had eight points with three rebounds, while Jenna Manke (Freeport, Pa./Freeport) had seven points and three rebounds as well.

Behrend held an early edge before a Gabby Culotta (Willoughby, Ohio/Andrews Osborne Academy) converted a traditional three-point play to tie the game at 11-11. A layup from Warner 20 seconds later gave the Gators their first lead of the game, 13-11. However, the Lions managed to tie the game at 15-15 with a late first quarter basket.

The Lions opened the second quarter on a 4-0 run, but the Gators were able to tie it at 22-22 on a Lauer jumper. The lead continued to switch hands throughout the remainder of the half, but a pair of late Warner free throws gave Allegheny a 28-27 halftime advantage.

The back-and-forth poured over to the third quarter, but the Gators started to pull away late. With the Lions leading 38-37 with three minutes left, the Gators strung together a 6-0 run to own a 43-38 lead heading into the fourth.

The lead was short lived as Behrend scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to gain a 46-43 edge. The Lions lead grew to as much as eight as they held on for the win. 

Allegheny will wrap up the 2021-22 nonconference slate when it travels to Cresson, Pa. to take on Mount Aloysius at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29.