MEADVILLE, Pa. -- After a leak at Hiram's gym postponed the original date and changed sites, the Allegheny women's basketball team finally kicked off its final season of North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) with a 62-54 victory at home against Hiram.
Alexis Caldwell (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) led the Gators with 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals to lead four in double figures.
Sydney Cook (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) ended the game with 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) added 12 points, and three steals, while
Chloe Rabold (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) ended up with 10 points.
Hiram held the Gators at bay for most of the opening quarter, taking a 12-2 lead with just over a minute left. However, the Gators went on a 6-0 run over a 45-second span to cut the lead to 12-8 going into the second quarter.
After a Terrier basket to start the second, a driving layup by Caldwell and a three-pointer by Cook brought the lead down to one at 14-13. A defensive stop by the Gators led to a mid-range jumper by Caldwell to give the Gators their first lead of the game, 15-14. The teams continued to trade the lead back-and-forth throughout the remainder of the half as they were deadlocked at 20-20 going into the locker room.
Allegheny opened the third quarter on a 6-1 run, fueled by four points by Caldwell, as it drained its first three shots. A three-pointer by Rabold midway through the frame put the Gators in front 33-25, their largest lead of the game at that point. In the closing minutes of the quarter, the Gators expanded their lead to 10 before ending the quarter up 37-29.
The momentum carried over to the final frame for the Blue & Gold as the defense created multiple turnovers in the opening minute, sparking a quick 6-0 run. Hiram fought back, narrowing the gap to 43-37 with six minutes remaining. The Allegheny advantage dropped to three with just over a minute to play, however, in the final minute, Caldwell and Cook converted tough layups as the Gators staved off the Hiram comeback and secured the conference win.
The Gators will remain at home and play their final game in Mullen Arena for the 2021 calendar year when they host Kenyon at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4. The afternoon will feature the theme of "Pride Game," where both basketball programs and the Allegheny College community show their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
