WASHINGTON, Pa. – The visiting Allegheny Gators drained a single-game school record 14 three-pointers to clip the Washington and Jefferson women's basketball team by an 85-80 score in a Presidents' Athletic Conference game Wednesday evening at Salvitti Family Gymnasium. 
 
The Presidents now sit at 16-2 in conference play and 19-4 overall. The Gators improve to 14-3 in PAC play and 15-7 overall. 
 
Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa./Indiana Area) used a masterful performance to score a game-high 29 points in the loss. Kovalchick hit on 12-of-17 field goal attempts including a three-for-six effort behind the three-point line. The 29 points are the most in a game by a President since the 2019-20 season. Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) followed with a double-double tallying 15 points and a team high 10 rebounds. Riley DeRubbo (Washington, Pa./Trinity) was the only other Presidents to join them in double figures adding 10 points. 

The Gators used a hot start to forge leads of 7-2 and 9-4 before Kovalchick drained a triple to cut the deficit to a pair at the 6:26 mark. Allegheny stretched the lead to seven on a made three-point field goal with 1:28 to play in the quarter. Kovalchick and Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) made field goals to trim the Gators' lead to 20-15 after 10 minutes of play. 
 
After Allegheny stretched the lead to eight points early in the second quarter, Jordyn Wolfe (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) provided a much needed spark for the Presidents. The freshman connected on a pair of three-pointers consecutively to cut the deficit to 25-23 with 6:30 to play before halftime. Wolfe was rewarded for her hard work and hustle, knocking down the second triple after grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds to keep the possession alive for W&J. Allegheny responded with five straight points and a few additional three pointers to head into halftime with a 38-29 advantage. 
 
W&J outpaced Allegheny by a 33-27 margin in the quarter to pull within three points by quarter's end. W&J kicked things into gear by shooting 75 percent in the third. The Presidents converted 12-of-16 field goal attempts including three-of-six from three and made all six free throw attempts in the third. The 33 points made it W&J's highest scoring quarter all season. Kovalchick racked up 13 points in the frame alone. 

After Allegheny took its largest lead of the game, 13 points following a triple at the 5:28 mark, W&J countered with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes. Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) scored six-straight points to open the run. Kovalchick followed a layup in front of a made three pointer by DeRubbo, which pulled W&J within a pair at 56-54 with 2:55 to play. Despite a late basket by Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area), Allegheny was able to maintain its lead going to the fourth. 

Allegheny led for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Kovalchick drilled a three with 4:34 left to close the gap to 74-72. The Gators effectively put the game away with seven-straight points over the next two minutes. The closest W&J would get for the remainder of the game was five points. 
  
The Gators turned the game on their ability to shoot from outside, converting 63.3 percent (14-of-22) from three-point range. W&J lost despite committing just two turnovers over 40 minutes of play.
 
W&J held advantages in points off of turnovers (16-6), bench points (18-5), second-chance points (16-1) and points in the paint (36-28). The Gators held a 16-6 differential in fast break points.
 
The Presidents host Waynesburg for Senior Recognition in Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Saturday (Feb. 15). The game is set for 1 p.m. tip off. W&J will honor Dryburgh, Cherry, Bezjak, Samantha Maurer (Washington, Pa./Washington) and student coach Sydney Snyder prior to the game.