HARTFORD, Conn. - Sophomore center
Reilly Campbell (Wallingford, Conn.) scored 16 points to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 57-46 victory over the visiting Williams College Ephs in the quarterfinals of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament this afternoon on Ogrodnik Court in Oosting Gymnasium. Top-seeded Trinity improves to 17-5 and advances to the semifinals next Saturday at home. No. 8-seeded Williams sees its season end at 10-15. The Bantams are the tournament's top seed for the first time and will host the NESCAC Final Four on Ogrodnik Court on Saturday, February 26 and Sunday, February 27.
The first quarter (10-10) was played evenly with junior center
Samantha Gallo scoring six of Trinity's 10 points. Williams' defensive pressure got to the Bantams in the second quarter, as the Ephs forced 10 first-half turnovers and led, 25-22, at the break. Trinity doubled up Williams, 16-8, in the third quarter, using an 8-0 run to turn a 29-22 deficit into a 30-29 lead at the 4:55 mark. First-year
Indianna DelRocco (Branford, Conn.) and sophomore
Tori Varsamis hit back-to-back treys from the top of the key and Campbell added two blocked shots and the go-ahead basket during the run. Varsamis scored the final four points of the quarter to give Trinity a 38-33 lead at the last break. Maddy Mandyck opened the fourth quarter with a bucket for Williams, but Campbell answered underneath for Trinity and the home team kept its lead to at least six points over the final 7:24 of the game. The Bantams led by as many as 14 points late on two Campbell free throws.
Trinity was stellar all around in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the floor (12-20), holding Williams to 33.3 percent shooting (8-24), and outrebounding the Ephs, 16-10. Campbell and Varsamis both scored 10 points after halftime, as Campbell's 16 points led all scorers to go with her nine rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, and Varsamis added four assists to her 10 points. Gallo also scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds, senior tri-captain guard
Bailey Hyland (Broad Brook, Conn.) totaled six points, five boards, and five assists, and DelRocco added nine points off the bench. Mandyck led Williams with 15 points and eight boards. Arianna Gerig scored 11 points and Maggie Meehan had 10 for the Ephs.
"I'm so proud of our defensive effort in the second half," said Trinity Head Coach
Emily Garner. "
Bailey Hyland really set the tone on the defensive end, and I thought we showed tremendous composure down the stretch. Huge thank you to our incredible alums, friends, and families who packed Oosting today- we're so appreciative for the energy and support!"
