Allegheny (6-1, 2-0 NCAC) posted its fifth consecutive victory this season, but it wasn’t easy as Ohio Wesleyan (2-5, 1-1 NCAC) opened the second half with a 12-0 run to cut a 37-22 halftime margin to just three (37-34) at 16:32. A three-pointer by Brittany Bell (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) and a layup by Emilie Simone (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) pushed the advantage back to multiple possessions at eight points (42-34) with just under 16 minutes to play.
After being held scoreless in the first half, the Bishops Rachel Messaros nearly brought her team back all by herself with 14 second-half points, including cutting the deficit to just one (50-49) on one of her three trifectas at about the nine-minute mark.
That would be as close as the visitors would get as Allegheny answered right back with a 9-0 run sparked by five points from senior Becca Gasiewicz (Grove City, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) to up the advantage to 59-49 at 5:41. Ohio Wesleyan could only manage to cut the deficit to four the rest of the way.
Initially, the Bishops started out with a three-pointer and a jumper to grab their only lead of the game, but the Gators retaliated with a 12-0 run to retake the lead 12-5, which they extended to as many as 18 (37-19) in the opening stanza.
It was an all-around team effort for Allegheny as four players reached double figures, led by senior Jennifer Latronica (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes), left, with 15 points. Latronica was 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-6 on free throws in addition to adding seven rebounds, but she was felt most on the defensive end where she swatted away a season-high seven blocked shots, one off her own Gator record.
Gasiewicz tied her career-high for the second game in a row with 14 points, including a dozen in the second half. She also ripped down a career-high seven rebounds, all on the offensive glass. Senior Katie Kestler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) also notched a career-high with a team-high eight rebounds, while adding 13 points.
Rounding out the main scorers for Allegheny was Bell with a dozen tallies and sophomore Stephanie Wolf (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), right, who accumulated nine points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Steffi Graf led the way for Ohio Wesleyan with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 shooting from the charity stripe. Messaros and Emily Lloyd each contributed 14 points, while Lindsey Macklin led the effort on the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Gators resume conference action on Monday, Dec. 11, at Oberlin College at 7:30 p.m.