WAYNE, N.J. (pacathletics.org) – The Allegheny College women's basketball team overcame a fourth quarter deficit and finished the game on a 17-5 run as they defeated William Paterson University 56-52 to capture the 2025 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship Saturday (March 15) in New Jersey. 
 
The teams battled back-and-forth in the opening quarter. After the Pioneers took a 6-3 lead, baskets by freshman Bella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) and junior Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) gave the Gators the lead. The game remained close as William Paterson scored the final basket of the frame to lead 10-9 at the quarter break.
 
Once again, the second quarter saw the teams evenly matched, as they continued to trade the lead with each other. Trailing 17-16, the Pioneers put together a 9-0 run to take the largest lead of the half, 25-17, with two-and-a-half minutes to go. The Gators fought back late, ending the half on a 6-0 run as they cut the lead to two, 25-23, at the break.
 
Senior Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) led the Gators with 10 points in the defensive-oriented first half. Antonacci was not far behind with nine points. Santicola pulled down eight rebounds in the half as the Gators held a 27-22 advantage in the category. 
 
The Pioneers maintained their lead in the third quarter. The lead would reach six points at a couple junctures, as the Gators trailed 43-37 heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
The deficit grew to 47-39 but the Gators continued to battle. In the final seven minutes of the game, the Gators outraced the Pioneers with a 17-5 run. The first run of 8-0 tied the game at 47. After a three pointer put the Pioneers back in front, the Gators outscored their counterparts 9-2 the rest of the way. Freshman Ava Kobus (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norwin) and Santicola each scored six in that run, while Antonacci had the other five points as the Gators completed the comeback to win the 2025 ECAC Championship.

Inside the Box

• Lauer led the team with 17 points and six assists to go alongside four rebounds and three steals in her final game as a Gator.
• Antonacci ended the game with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
• Kobus had a dozen points as well as nine rebounds, just shy of a double-double.
• Santciola registered a 10 point, 12 rebound double-double while blocking three shots.
• Junior Jess Bickart (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) had six rebounds and four steals to go with three points.
• Junior Kate Leach (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) had three assists.
• Allegheny shot 40.0% (24-60) from the field and owned a 45-39 advantage in rebounds.  

News and Notes

• The Gators finished the season with a 21-8 record, marking their first 20-win season since 2000-01.
• Lauer finishes her career as the second all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,752 points. For the season, she had 489 points, which is the fourth most in a season. She was named the Tournament MVP for her efforts.
• This marked the first contest between the two teams.
• The ECAC Championship is the first for women's basketball and the second overall for Allegheny as the volleyball team won the 2023 title.

Contributed by Allegheny Athletic Communications