ERIE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - The Allegheny College women's basketball team advanced to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Women's Basketball Championship title game with victories over Penn State Behrend and McDaniel College this weekend in a four-team pod hosted by Penn State Behrend. 

The Gators, seeded third in their tournament pod, took down No. 2 Penn State Behrend 71-61 Saturday in the opening round and defeated No. 1 McDaniel 52-40 in Sunday's semifinals. In their first-ever ECAC appearance, Allegheny (20-8) will now face William Paterson University (21-8) in the tournament finals on Saturday, March 15. More details about the game will be announced in the coming days.

After some back-and-forth action to start Saturday's game with Penn State Behrend, the Lions pulled ahead, 15-8 midway through the first period. The Gators fought back with an 8-0 run as they gained a one-point advantage. A Behrend free-throw tied it up, but the Gators closed the frame on a 7-2 run, as they led 23-18 after the first.

Freshman Ava Kobus (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norwin) and freshman Eyra Co (Manila, Philippines/Pike Christian Academy (Ohio)) made back-to-back shots to start the second as the lead grew to 27-18. However, a 14-0 run by the Lions put them back in front, 32-27, with four minutes remaining. Allegheny regained control of the game down the stretch. Trailing 34-29, the Gators ended the half on a 12-0 run as Allegheny, who shot 53 percent (19-36) in the opening half, led 41-34 at the break.
 
The third quarter went back-and-forth as Allegheny grew their lead to nine points with three minutes left. In the closing minutes of the quarter though, the Lions scored the final six points, as the Gator lead was cut to 53-50 with 10 minutes left.
 
A three pointer by freshman Bella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) followed by a Kobus lay-up gave the Gators an eight-point lead, 60-52, a quarter of the way through the final frame. Midway through, another three by Antonacci pushed the lead to nine. Antonacci's three kickstarted a 7-0 run as the Gators had their largest lead of the afternoon, 69-56, and Allegheny maintained their lead the rest of the way.

Leading the Gators in the victory was senior Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) with 17 points, while Kobus finished with 16, Antonacci netted 14 points and junior Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) registered a double-double with 14 boards and 10 points.

Allegheny got defensive in posting the semifinal victory over McDaniel, limiting the Green Terror to just 26 percent shooting (17-of-65) and the 40 points was the fewest allowed by the Gators in a game since Allegheny beat the College of Wooster, 57-34, on February 8, 2022.

Leading by just two at halftime (22-20), an outstanding third quarter propelled Allegheny in the victory, as the Gators outscored the Green Terror 17-9 in the quarter. McDaniel scored the first field goal of the second half to tie the score at 22-all briefly, but the Gators never surrendered the lead after Antonacci sank a three-pointer around the eight-minute mark of the third quarter.

Leading 29-26, Kobus capped off a 7-0 Allegheny run that pushed the lead to double digits for the first time at 36-26. Kobus scored five unanswered points, including a successful and-one conversion. In the fourth quarter, Antonacci and Kobus combined for seven consecutive points, giving the Gators their largest lead of the afternoon at 48-32. Allegheny went on to the victory, which not only sends them to the ECAC title game, but gives them 20 wins, the most in a season since the program went 20-6 in 2000-01.

Three Gators reached double figures, led by Antonacci, who logged game-highs in points (15), rebounds (16), and assists (six) for her fifth double-double of the year. Kobus chipped in with 13 points off the bench and Lauer poured in a dozen points. 

Story contributed by Allegheny Athletic Communications