NEW HAVEN, Conn. – For the first time in program history, the HFU Women's Basketball Team will play in back-to-back NCAA Division II East Region Finals (Sweet 16s) after the Tigers upset the top seed and host Southern Connecticut State, 61-51, in the second round on Saturday night.
Holy Family dominated the fourth quarter to do so, outscoring the Owls 19-9.
Two
Skyler Searfoss (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe Area) free throws in the final seconds of the third made it 42-42 entering the last period, sparking 10 unanswered that ended with her layup putting the Tigers ahead 50-42 with 8:05 to go.
Her jumper also made it 52-44 35 seconds later, but SCSU would make one final push to within one, 51-52, on a jumper with 2:34 left.
Holy Family would regroup with a timeout though, setting up a
Kaelah Carter (Watervliet, N.Y./Shaker (The College of Saint Rose)) 3-pointer that began a 9-0 run to end the game.
Up Next
Making the fifth East Region Final appearance in the program's history, the Tigers will take on third-seeded Daemen, at SCSU, for a spot in the Elite Eight on Monday at 7 p.m.
Individual Highlights
- Searfoss, a senior, led HFU with 23 points, her most since her freshman season
- She made 7-of-10 field goals, 2-of-3 3-pointers and all seven of her free throw attempts, while also matching a game-high with four assists
- Carter was also in double-figures with 11 points as she sunk three of her five 3-point attempts
- Taylor Hinkle (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South) led all players with 13 rebounds, falling one point shy of a double-double
- Lauren Palangio (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) had nine points too, while leading the Tigers with two steals and a game-high two blocks
Inside the Box Score
- Holy Family limited Southern Connecticut State to just 18.8 percent shooting (3-of-16) in the fourth quarter
- The Tigers outrebounded the Owls 44-32 for the contest
How it Happened
- SCSU opened the game with 10 of the first 12 points and built a lead as large as a game-high 16-26 following back-to-back triples with 3:33 left in the first half
- Claire Dougherty (Lehman, Pa./Lake-Lehman) and Hinkle helped cut the halftime deficit to six, and Searfoss began the third with a 3-pointer
- Following an Owls layup, seven straight points capped by a Kara Meredith (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Archbishop Wood) trifecta gave HFU its first lead, 30-28, 2:40 out of the locker room
- Southern Connecticut State used another 2-10 surge to go back up 35-40 with 3:10 remaining in the penultimate period, but Palangio would counter with five in a row
- Both teams made foul shots in the last 18 seconds of the third to even the score entering the fourth
