MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny women's lacrosse team celebrated senior day with an 18-7 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) victory against Wittenberg Saturday (April 16).

With the win, the Gators move to 10-3 overall and 2-2 in NCAC play.

Before the game, the Gators honored their seniors: student manager Becky Newton, Maddie Miller (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), Devin Gaffney (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy), Abigail Smith (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley), Gabby Eberle (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence) and Mary Allen (Victor, N.Y./Victor).

The Gators scored the first two goals of the game before the Tigers got on the board. Grace Baginski (Lakeville, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) and Senna Perelman (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) tallied the first two goals of the frame. Allegheny ended the quarter on a 3-0 run. Allen scored the third goal off a feed from fellow senior Smith. Lauren Petrarca (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) and Emily Herrold (Hampstead, Md./Manchester Valley), who also assisted Petrarca, scored the final two goals of the opening 15 minutes.

The Allegheny run extended into the second quarter as it scored the first four goals. Perelman had two of those goals to complete her hat trick while Miller and Allen, assisted by Baginski, scored the other two. After three straight Wittenberg goals, Baginski scored twice in the waning minutes of the half as the Gators took an 11-4 lead into halftime.

Wittenberg cut the lead to 11-6 in the third quarter, but the Gators responded by scoring three more goals. Petrarca scored off a feed from Kennedy Kyle (Seven Fields, Pa./Seneca Valley) before Allen and Perelman notched goals as the Gators led 14-6 heading into the final quarter.

Baginiski scored her fourth goal off Smith's second assist early in the final frame. Gaffney extended the Gators lead to 10 goals, 16-6, three minutes later off an assist from Herrold. After a Tiger goal, Miller scored on a Smith assist before Smith notched her first goal off an assist by Kyle.

Baginiski led the Gators with five points on four goals. Smith had a career-high four points on three assists and a goal, while all four of Perelman's points came on goals. Allen finished with three goals while Herrold had three points on one goal and two assists. Miller and Petrarca had two goals apiece while Kyle had two assists. Gaffney had one goal as well.
Liz Dolan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Hampton) led the team with five ground balls while Allen led the team with four caused turnovers. 

Sarah Thorman (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) made five saves to earn the win in net.

The Gators are on the road Wednesday (April 20) at NCAC foe Wooster for a 7 p.m. match.