By Adam Cohen, Athletic Communications Assistant
 
 
Gambier, Ohio -- The Allegheny women's basketball team lost 72-69 in a dramatic North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) match at Kenyon on Saturday (Jan. 22) as the Gators dropped to 4-11, 1-6 NCAC.
 
Branygan Bianchin (Wexford, Pa./North Catholic) and Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) held the lion's share of the baskets scored for the Gators as they drilled in 21 and 19 points, respectively. In the first quarter, the two players delivered 11 of the first 15 points of the game as Allegheny did not drain its first bucket until the fifth minute of the opening frame. 
 
Behind 20-15 heading into the second quarter, the offense outscored Kenyon 15-14. The Gators' defense initiated a full court press in the waning minutes of the period to induce two turnovers. Thus, Allegheny went into halftime trailing 34-30.
 
Although the Gators began the second half with four turnovers in the first three minutes, the defense shined throughout the frame. Lauer and Sarah Price (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) each provided a block with the latter picking up a game-changing defensive board. On the following play, Sydney Watko (Pomeroy, Wash./Pomeroy) tied up the game at 47 with a two-point jumper.
 
Bianchin and Alexis Caldwell (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) starred in an Allegheny comeback. Despite a Kenyon three-pointer, Caldwell trimmed the deficit to 50-49. Next, Bianchin was fouled and knocked in both free throw attempts to put Allegheny on top. Another Price defensive rebound helped get the ball back over to Caldwell, who hit a buzzer-beater to leave the quarter with the Gators ahead 53-50.
 
The final ten minutes of the game included five of the six lead changes to occur in the match. Allegheny had a layup from both Bianchin and Caldwell to be up 57-52. Nevertheless, Kenyon stormed back to make it 59-59 before Chloe Rabold (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) was fouled on a reverse layup and broke the deadlock with two baskets to bring the score to 61-59.
 
Kenyon battled on the court to be ahead 68-67 but Bianchin gave the Gators the advantage by making another two free throw attempts. The two rivals were neck-and-neck until Allegheny fouled the leading scorer of the NCAC, who responded by draining two shots from the charity stripe. With 8.8 seconds to go and down 70-69, an Allegheny missed layup that rolled off the rim along with another two foul shots put in by Kenyon ended the game 72-69. 
 
Even though the Gators were handed their sixth consecutive loss, Allegheny kept the game close through a team effort by having a 49.1 field goal percentage and ending an 0-17 skid behind the arc by cashing in on three three-pointers. Allegheny will look to finish the four-game roadstand on a positive note as they tip-off versus Ohio Wesleyan at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.