Saint Vincent Uses Second-Half Run to Defeat Women's Basketball in Latrobe

Photo is credited to Ed M.

LATROBE, Pa. -- A late run by the Bearcats of Saint Vincent College lifted the hosts to a 76-61 victory over the Allegheny College women's basketball team in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action on Saturday afternoon.

Allegheny (8-6, 7-2 PAC) and Saint Vincent (8-6, 7-2 PAC) went back and forth throughout the first two-plus quarters. The Bearcats opened the game with nine of

the first 11 points, but the Gators responded with a 13-4 run to even the score at 15-all. Allegheny led by two after the first quarter, 17-15.

The Bearcats opened the second quarter on a 10-4 run to regain a 25-21 lead, but Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area), Jasmyn Fisher (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills), and Ava Kobus (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norwin) combined for nine unanswered points to jump back ahead 30-25. Allegheny's lead remained at five points, 37-32, heading into the halftime break.

Saint Vincent began its comeback midway through the third quarter after heating up from 3-point range. Emily Thompson sunk a trey to snag a one-point advantage, 41-39 before Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) buried a 3-point bucket of her own 1:40 later to put the Gators up 44-41. However, the Bearcats hit from beyond the arc on their next three possessions to take the lead for good.

The rally carried over into the fourth quarter, where SVC netted eight in a row to start the period. On the other hand, the Gators were unable to find their groove in the fourth quarter, shooting a mere 15.8% (3-of-19) in the final 10 minutes.

Inside the Box Score

• After shooting 45.7% (16-of-35) in the first half, the Gators ended with a 22.2% clip (8-of-36) in the second half.
• Saint Vincent finished with a 43.7 field-goal percentage (31-of-71).
• The Gators were significantly better from the foul line, with 11 makes on 14 attempts (78.6%).
• The Bearcats had the upper hand from 3-point distance, going 7-of-13 (53.8%).
• Allegheny recorded more steals, 8-to-6, and more blocks, 6-to-4.
• Lauer, who was 6-for-6 from the foul line, led all Gators with 15 points.
• After reaching a double-double in the first half, Santicola logged 14 points with a game-high 13 rebounds.
• Kobus scored nine points with four rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots.
• Jess Bickart (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) added six points, nine rebounds, three assists, and a team-high four steals.
• Bella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) and Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) each scored seven points for the Gators.
• Saint Vincent's Thompson was one of four starters to reach double figures with a game-high 20 points.

News and Notes

• Allegheny and Saint Vincent move into a tie for second place in the PAC standings with identical 7-2 conference records.
• Lauer, already the program's second all-time leading scorer, continues to climb the leaderboard with 1,500 career points.
• Santicola earned her third consecutive double-double and her seventh of the season.

Up Next
Allegheny returns to the David V. Wise Center on Wednesday, January 15, for a 6:00 p.m. matchup against Thiel College.