News Release

MEADVILLE, Pa. — Senior Katie Kestler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) continued her torrid start to the season by pouring in a career-high 23 points in leading the Allegheny College women’s basketball team to a 73-66 victory over visiting Westminster College. It marked the third consecutive come-from-behind win for the Gators (5-1), who scorched the net for 52 second-half points in erasing a 15-point halftime deficit.

Kestler finished 9-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc in setting her career-high for the second time this year. The Blue and Gold’s all-time three-point leader, she led the second-half charge with 15 points on a trio of trifectas and three layups.

For the third straight game, Allegheny put itself in a precarious position at the break, falling behind 36-21. The Titans (4-3), who held a decisive advantage on the glass after 20 minutes (22-10), capped the opening stanza with a dominating 23-8 run to take the lead into the locker room.

The deficit was quickly eradicated by the hosts as Allegheny opened the final period on a tear, out-scoring Westminster 26-9 in the first seven minutes and taking a 47-45 advantage on a deep three-pointer by Kestler. After exchanging layups, Desiree Sterling put the visitors back on top 52-49 with a jumper and a three-pointer with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Westminster pushed its advantage to as many as seven on two occasions in the final 8:30 of the game, but the Gators clawed their way back, retaking the lead 64-63 on a layup by Brittany Bell (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) at 2:38. Sterling once again handed the lead back to the visitors with a three, only to see the Gators Jennifer Latronica (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes) tally each of the seven points in the contest, starting with an old-fashioned three-point play. A pair of free throws by Stephanie Wolf (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) sealed the victory for the home team.

Including Kestler, four players hit for double figures as Allegheny shot 54.0 percent (27-for-50) from the field in the game. Senior Becca Gasiewicz (Grove City, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) tied a career-high with 14 points, while Latronica tallied 13 in just 14 minutes of action. Wolf rounded out the top scorers with a dozen markers, including six at the charity stripe.

Freshman Emilie Simone (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) put together another productive game in her second consecutive start at forward, posting six points and four rebounds, while Bell added five points. Kestler had a hand in all aspects of the game, tying Wolf for team-honors with five assists and swiping a squad-best four steals.

Sterling led Westminster with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field, while Emilee Ackerman, Gina Brunetti, and Terese Marszalek added 15, 11, and 10, respectively. Marszalek chipped in with a team-high eight rebounds.

Allegheny resumes conference play this weekend as the Gators take on visiting Ohio Wesleyan University at the David V. Wise Center on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 1 p.m.