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Allegheny Claims Come From Behind Win Over Case Western
December 30, 2003
Trailing 63-43 with 10:43 left in the game, the Allegheny College women’s basketball team mounted a furious comeback win against Case Western Reserve University, 80-74, at the Wise Center on Tuesday night. Senior Jessica Kankoski (Glenshaw, Pa./Fox Chapel) scored 14 of her career-high 31 points during the run as the Gators improved to 3-7 on the season.
The Gator comeback started with a pair of free throws by Kankoski. Sophomore Valery Medwid (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) hit a three-pointer on the next trip and Kankoski followed with three three-pointer’s to cut the margin to 67-57 with 7:40 left in the half. A pair of lay-ups accounted for the Spartan (2-6) points.
Kankoski then hit a two-pointer followed by a free throw and a jumper from sophomore Caitlin Murtagh (Bethel Park, Pa./Seton-LaSalle) to make it a 67-62 game with 5:37 left. Case Western’s Angie Zeuch hit a pair of free throws to extend the lead to seven only to have Allegheny score the next three baskets, including a tying lay-up from junior Meredith McDonough (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic) knotting the score at 69-69 with 2:29 remaining.
Kankoski finished a three-point play on the next possession and Allegheny never trailed again on the way to the win. The Gators outscored Case 23-7 over the final 10:34 of the contest. Kankoski hit 9-of-22 shots in the contest, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, and was 8-9 from the charity stripe. She also led all players with nine rebounds.
McDonough and sophomore Kristen Lyzen (Brook Park, Ohio/Midpark) each added 10 for Allegheny.
Jasmine Rowan scored 21 point and added a team-high eight rebounds for the Spartans. Zeuch chipped in with 13 points and Andrea Haylett finished with 11.
Allegheny led at the half 36-35, but Case Western went on a 13-1 run in the first 1:50 of the second half to take command. The Gators shot 43.1 percent in the game (28-65) and outrebounded Case Western, 45-35. The Spartans hit on 42.4 percent (25-59) of their shots from the field and were 8-of-15 on shots from beyond the arc (53.3 percent)
The Gators return to action on Friday, January 2, as they travel to Wittenberg for a 5:30 p.m. North Coast Athletic Conference game.