MEADVILLE, Pa. – A gritty second half performance by the Gators continued the best winning streak in eight years, as Allegheny finished 2014 undefeated in North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) play after a 56-45 triumph over Kenyon on Wednesday evening at the David V. Wise Center.

Junior Jessica Mrdjenovich led the Gators with 16 points, finishing the evening shooting 4-of-9 from outside the arc while tacking on a team-high four steals.  Classmate Emma Pellicano also impressed with 14 points and nine boards, adding a team-high two blocks.  Junior Rachel Vigliotti went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line to finish with 11 points, while senior Kendall Hoffman made a momentum-shifting block in the second half, adding four points and two boards.

"Jess (Mrdjenovich) hit some big three-pointers in the second half and we did a really good job over the last two minutes playing like we had the lead" commented Allegheny head coach Kate Costanzo,  "we controlled the tempo of the game, remained composed in our half-court offense and that allowed us to eat away the clock."

Wednesday's win continues the biggest winning streak for the program since an eight-game winning streak during the 2006-07 season, as the team matches the 9-2 mark posted by the 2006-07 squad, which is the best start for the Gators over the last 10 years.  The win also snaps a four-game skid against the Ladies, as Allegheny last upended Kenyon at the David V. Wise Center in the 2012-13 season.

"I think this team is really driven, they're being led by Kendall (Hoffman) and Marina Scarantino, who are doing excellent job as seniors and team leaders" said Costanzo regarding the team's momentous run, "they want it, they're hungry, so I think that's what's going to motivate them going into the second half of the season knowing that it's all NCAC, and it's going to be a battle every night."

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, as Allegheny picked up an 18-8 lead with 8:11 in the opening stanza.  A quick, seven-point run by Kenyon brought the Ladies within a single possession, but the Gators responded with a 7-2 run to re-built an eight-point lead, ending the half with a 25-19 advantage.

"At halftime we talked about our half court offense and how it was becoming very stagnate in the first half and we weren't able to get shots in rhythm," added Costanzo.

"One of our focuses at halftime was pushing the tempo, and I think in the second half we did that; and defensively we talked about minor adjustments chasing them off of screens, and I thought we did a much better job in the second half talking on defense, sprinting off of their screens and contesting outside shots."

In the second half, Allegheny built a double-digit lead with a traditional three-point play by Pellicano three minutes into the half, leading by as many as 14 points after a three-pointer by Vigliotti.  Kenyon erupted back into contention after the Gators led 46-33 with 11:20 remaining, utilizing a 8-0 run to slice Allegheny's lead to five points.

Pellicano scored a layup after a block by Hoffman to turn the tide permanently in the Gators' favor, sparking a game clinching, 6-0 run that put the squad up, 52-41, with 3:17 remaining.  The Ladies' shooters went cold over the final three minutes of the game, shooting 5-of-7, while the Gators used layups from Mrdjenovich and Scarantino alongside four straight Vigliotti free throws over the final two minutes to pick up the win.

After the holiday break, Allegheny will travel to Greencastle, Indiana and Springfield, Ohio to battle NCAC foes DePauw and Wittenberg on Jan. 2 and 3, respectively.  The Gators will return to the David V. Wise Center on Jan. 7 against Hiram.