CLINTON, N.Y. -- Allegheny College's postseason run ended Saturday in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Championships with a 2-1 loss against No. 15 Hamilton College at Withiam Field.
With the win, the Continentals (8-4-5) advanced to the second round of the national championship tournament. They'll host Denison University on Sunday afternoon.
Allegheny (12-7-2), making only its second NCAA Championship appearance in program history, fell behind early after conceding two goals to Troy Miller in the sixth and 19th minutes. The Continentals kept up the pressure in the first half with a series of shots, including two saved by keeper
Cadan Bennett (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland), in the 28th and 30th minutes. The hosts from Hamilton tried to open the second half with more aggressive play, but were flagged offside on a handful of plays.
The Gators didn't go down without putting up a fight. In the 73rd minute, they cut the Hamilton lead in half on a goal from senior midfielder
Will Gruca (Baden, Pa./Ambridge). Gruca, the 2026 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Offensive Player of the Year, received a pass into the 18-yard box from
Nathan Tolliver (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington). He worked his way through two defenders and juked out the goalie before tapping the ball across the goal line inside the six.
Billy Sprott (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area), the team's 6-foot-4 center back, almost found an equalizer in the 77th minute, redirecting a throw-in from
Lucas Henderson (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) towards the post. Hamilton goalie Tobin Walsh needed a diving stop to punch the ball wide. On the ensuing corner kick,
Cole Bowser (Forest Hill, Md./John Carroll) got his left foot on the ball after being punched up by Walsh, but a defender on the goal line headed the ball away from the goal. Allegheny's last shot attempt came off the left foot of Gruca in the 82nd minute, but was gathered by Walsh to preserve the one-goal advantage.
Inside the Box Score
- Hamilton finished with an 18-to-11 lead in shots and had twice as many shots on goal, 10-to-5.
- Allegheny took eight of its 11 shots in the second half.
- Corner kicks also favored the Continentals, 6-to-2.
- The Gators were hit with four yellow cards and one red card in their last game of the season.
- Gruca led the team with five shots, including the team's only goal in the 73rd minute.
- Bennett made eight saves and held the Continentals scoreless after the 19th minute.
- Miller, who scored both Hamilton goals, logged a game-high six shots.
News and Notes
- Allegheny's season ends with a 12-7-2 overall record.
- Hamilton, the 15th-ranked team in the country, improved to 8-4-5 and advances to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
- The Gators made their first NCAA Championship appearance since reaching the round of 16 in 2004.
- Saturday's match was the first-ever between Allegheny and Hamilton.
- Gruca scored his team-leading 13th goal of the season.
- Gruca will graduate this spring tied for second in program history in assists (25) while ranking fourth in points (87) and fifth in goals.
