MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny women's basketball team finished play at their season opening Women Leaders Tip-Off Saturday (Nov. 9), falling in a close contest to Case Western Reserve, 60-52.
 
The Spartans took a 13-6 lead in the first quarter. A three by Analyse Rios (Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek) cut the lead down. After a Spartan basket, Bella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) converted a pair of free throws as Allegheny trailed 15-11 after the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, Case Western Reserve's lead reached eight points, 21-13, before two quick baskets by Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) cut the lead in half. The teams went back-and-forth the rest of the half as Case Western Reserve led 30-24 at the break.
 
Santicola led Allegheny in the opening half with eight points, six rebounds and two blocks. Antonacci had seven points while Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) had six. The Gators hit one more field goal in the half than the Spartans while Case Western Reserve had a slight edge in rebounds, 23-22.
 
Case Western Reserve opened the second half on a 6-1 run before the Gators answered with 11 straight points to tie the game at 36. Santicola scored four of those points while Antonacci hit a three. Rios and Ava Kobus (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norwin) also had baskets in that stretch. The back-and-forth continued in the final minutes of the frame as Case Western Reserve took a 43-40 lead into the fourth.
 
Santicola scored the first basket of the fourth before a tough lay-up by Rios gave the Gators their first lead of the game, 44-43. However, the Spartans answered with a 9-2 run as they led 52-46 with five minutes remaining.
 
The Gators continued to battle in the waning minutes of the contest but were unable to make up the ground as they fell to the Spartans.
 
Inside the Box

• Santicola finished with a game-high 18 points while pulling down a dozen rebounds for her second double-double in as many games. The junior also blocked three shots.
• Lauer was also in double-digits with 11 points while collecting five rebounds.
• Antonacci had seven points, five rebounds and three assists.
• Rios also finished with seven points.
• Kobus and Leach had five rebounds apiece.
• Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) was second on the team with seven rebounds while leading the team with four assists.
• The Gators shot better from the floor overall, 34.4% to 26.8%, while the Spartans had the edge in rebounds, 48-43. 

News and Notes

• Allegheny is now 27-11 all-time against Case Western Reserve. 

Up Next
The Gators will play a pair of games in the Cameron Hospital Classic in Indiana Nov. 15-16 against Albion and host school Trine.