GRANVILLE, Ohio – After making their second NCAC Women's Basketball Championship Finals appearance in the past three seasons and ninth all-time, the Allegheny Women's Basketball team was unable to knock off unbeaten Denison University in front of their vocal home crowd, and see their spectacular 2010-11 season come to an end with a 54-72 loss.
The return trip to the conference finals, however, very well may be a commonality for the Gators (17-10) in the years to come. The 10-11 version of the team was one that was led on the court by three senior starters in Jill Gregory, Laura Magnelli and Britni Mohney. The Gators also got a major boost with the emergence of several underclassmen in sophomores Daryl Ford, Heidi Goeller, and Ann Ryan, along with rookies Saddie Gravatt, and Erica Restich giving the Gators' depth and an eight-player rotation that was among the best in the NCAC all the year. Although head coach Kate Costanzo will have fill three starting spots in 2011-12, the elevated play of the underclassmen will have the Gators in the conversation as one of the top teams in the conference.
The championship game was a battle throughout the first half with six lead changes and five ties, but neither team was able to establish an offensive rhythm and both shot below 34% in the half. The Gators led by as much as four points in the first half. Ryan was a key contributor off the bench with eight first half points on 4-of-6 shooting. Ford, the Gators' leading rebounder for the season, was active on the glass in the first half pulling down seven boards, five on defense. The final tie of the opening half came at 21-all with 1:21 left in the game. After that tie, the Big Red answered right back with a go-ahead bucket and extended their lead to three points heading into the break, 24-21. The Big Red would not relinquish the lead from that point.
After struggling out of the gate shooting the ball in the first half to the tune of 33%, the Big Red caught fire in the second half shooting the ball, especially from downtown. In the opening frame, they were 0-for-6 from deep, but exploded in the second half knocking down 5-of-7 three-pointers igniting the raucous home crowd of Denison.
The Gators were not able to match the Big Red's shooting turnaround and shot 35% in the second half. Goeller, however, was a scoring force in the second half with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting. She would end with a team-high 23 points. Ryan finished with 10 points in the game.
With the win, the Big Red continue their perfect season, while capturing their second consecutive tournament crown, seventh all-time, and will representing the North Coast Athletic Conference in the upcoming NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.