CRESSON, Pa. – The Allegheny women's basketball team found themselves down 21 with just over seven minutes remaining in the second half. What followed could only be described as miraculous, as Allegheny went on a 29-8 run to force overtime and complete one of the most improbable comebacks in program history.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair as the two sides would trade the lead on eight separate occasions, with neither team leading by more than four points. The star of the first half would be Allegheny junior Heidi Goeller, who was coming off being named NCAC player of the week on Sunday evening.
Goeller ended the first half with 14 points on 7-12 shooting, while collecting 10 rebounds ensuring her of her fourth double-double of the season, and second in as many games.
While the first half was as close as basketball games get, the second half looked anything but. After entering the half down two, the Mounties of Mount Aloysius came out firing on all cylinders. As the half continued, the Mounties lead continued to grow.
The game was seemingly out of reach when, with just 7:17 remaining in regulation, Maruca Ali layed it in to give Mount Aloysius a 21 point lead.
The Gators rally seemed innocent enough, a couple of free throws from junior Ann Ryan, and a jump shot from sophomore Erica Restich pulled Allegheny within 17. That's when Restich and the rest of the Gators would go off. Restich would score 12 of Allegheny's next 18 points, as the Gators would go on an 18-5 run to climb back within four.
Allegheny would hold Aloysius scoreless from the field for the final 7:17, forcing the Mounties into bad shot after bad shot. The Gators would tie the game for the sixth time with just 1:21 to go when junior Daryl Ford connected on a jumper to knot the game at 73. Mount Aloysius would sink two crucial free throws; however, Goeller would send it to overtime, sinking a layup with just 29 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Gators would seize control for most of the overtime period, although the Mounties would make it interesting, connecting on their final two three pointers to give the game its final two point spread. It was a fitting ending as the 2011-12 season has seen Allegheny play in a number of nail-bitters already, including a buzzer-beating victory over Misericordia in the Allegheny Invitational championship game.
Three Gators would end the game with 20 points or more, lead by Goeller who finished with a game high 27 and 13. Restich would continue her solid offensive play with 23 points, including three huge momentum building three pointers in the second half. Ford ended the night one board shy of her third double-double of the year, rounding up nine rebounds to go along with her 20 points.
Ryan and freshman Kendall Hoffman each chipped in with eight points, and combined for 12 boards as Allegheny improved to 8-3 on the season.
The Gators hit the holiday break winners four of their last five with one non-conference game left on the schedule, Tuesday, January 3 when they play host to the Terriers of Carnegie Mellon. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.