ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The University of Rochester pulled away in the second half to secure a 72-55 victory over the Allegheny College women's basketball team during the first round of the Chuck Resler Tournament, hosted by the Yellowjackets at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Friday night.

The Gators (0-2) led by as many as five points in the opening quarter. Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) netted the first basket, and Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) hit a 3-pointer at the 6:21 mark of the quarter to extend the advantage to 9-4. Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) buried a trey that gave Allegheny a 14-10 lead, but the Yellow Jackets (1-0) closed the quarter with five unanswered points to grab the lead for the first time.

The two sides traded leads in the second quarter, but once again, Rochester ended the second on a run that put it ahead 33-27 at the intermission.

The Yellow Jackets came out of the locker room, outscored Allegheny 19-10 in the third quarter, and maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter.

Inside the Box Score

• Allegheny shot 37.1% (23-of-62) from the field and 30.0% (6-of-20) from 3-point range.
• Rochester was slightly better at 40.3% (27-of-67) but finished only 22.7% (5-of-22) from deep.
• Genareo paced the Gators with 14 points on 6-of-11 (54.5%) shooting.
• Santicola logged a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, in addition to three blocks.
• Jess Bickart (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) scored six points with a team-leading five assists and four rebounds.
• Lauer ended the night with nine points and three rebounds.
• Rochester's Callie McCulley scored a game-high 18 points with six rebounds.

News and Notes

• Allegheny, a regular in the Chuck Resler Tournament during the 1980s and '90s, made its first appearance in the tournament since the 2000-01 season.
• Santicola has produced a double-double in both games to start the 2023-24 season.
• First-year guard Analyse Rios (Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek) scored the first points of her collegiate career in her second game with the Gators.

Up Next
Allegheny will face Gettysburg College in the tournament consolation game on Saturday, November 11, at 3:00 p.m.