MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny College women's basketball team shook off a sluggish first quarter to defeat the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, 71-51, in a Monday matinee inside the David V. Wise Center.

The Gators (3-5) fell behind early in the final home game before the team's extended holiday break. The Bobcats (1-8) scored the game's first five points and led by as many as 10 points on two separate occasions. Despite the hot start from upset-minded Pitt-Greensburg, Allegheny gained some momentum back with the last seven points of the first quarter.

In the second, the two sides went back and forth, tying the score on four occasions. With just over two minutes to go in the quarter, Matthews gave the Bobcats a one-point advantage by making one of her two foul shots. On the other end of the court, Kate Leach (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) made a great play to post up her defender, collect a pass from Isabella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area), and score to give the Gators the lead for good at 35-34.

The second half was all Allegheny. The Gators outscored the Bobcats 36-17 over the last 20 minutes of action. Ava Kobus (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norwin), who logged 12 of her game-high 20 points in the second half, helped spur the Allegheny offense as it pulled away from Pitt-Greensburg. Her field goal with three-and-a-half minutes to go in the third quarter increased the Gator lead to double digits for the first time at 47-37. Less than a minute later, she completed a transition play with a left-handed finish off the glass to increase the margin to 12 points, 51-39.

In the fourth, the Gator defense surrendered a game-low eight points, and Pascale Olczak (Plum, Pa./Plum) recorded the last three points to increase the lead to 20 points before the final whistle.

Inside the Box Score

• The Gators shot 47.8% overall with 32 field goals on 67 attempts.
• After shooting 58.3% (7-of-12) in the first quarter, Pitt-Greensburg ended the contest with a mere 29.5 field-goal percentage (18-of-61).
• Allegheny controlled the boards with a 47-33 lead in rebounds.
• The Gators handed out 19 assists, earned eight steals, and blocked two shots.
• Allegheny also had a big lead in points in the paint, 52-20.
• Kobus scored a game-high 20 points on 10-of-16 (62.5%) in 28 minutes off the bench.
• Antonacci had a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.
• Leach added 12 points, followed by Ashlan Price (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) with nine.
• Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) scored six points with six assists and a team-high 11 rebounds.
• Pitt-Greensburg received team highs in points (17) and rebounds (8) from Matthews, while Jocelyn Bielak and Abby Henise each scored 10.

News and Notes

• Allegheny and Pitt-Greensburg met for the first time since 2009, as the Gators evened the all-time series at two games apiece.
• The Gators made a season-high 32 field goals, and their 47.8 field-goal percentage was their second-best of the year.
• Allegheny improved to 2-0 when outrebounding its opponent this season.
• Antonacci earned her first double-double as a sophomore and the sixth of her career.
• Kobus scored 20-plus points for the second time in her Allegheny career.
• Leach tied a single-game career-high with 12 points, matching the 12 she netted in the season-opener against No. 6-ranked Washington and Lee University.

Up Next
The Gators will travel to Otterbein University's campus for the first day of the Smokey Ballenger Classic on Monday, December 29. The Gators will face Mount Aloysius College at 3 p.m. On Tuesday, December 30, the road trip concludes at Ohio Wesleyan University's Hoops for Hope tournament against the Battling Bishops at noon.