CHICAGO -– No. 12-ranked St. Thomas defeated No. 5-rated Calvin 83-72 in overtime Saturday night to advance to the NCAA Division III women's Final Four for the first time in 12 years.

Coach Ruth Sinn's Tommies (30-1) scored the first 11 points in overtime, won their 30th consecutive game and set a program record for victories.  

UST will play Illinois Wesleyan next Friday night in a semifinal in Holland, Mich. The other semifinal will feature Amherst (Mass.) vs. George Fox (Ore).  

Sophomore forward Taylor Young led St. Thomas with 25 points, including 21 in the second half. Maggie Weiers, also a sophomore, added 16 points and seven rebounds. Young also contributed seven assists and six steals.

Carissa Verkaik had 25 points for Calvin, which finished the season 28-2.  

St. Thomas led 30-25 at halftime and scored the first six points of the second half to take an 11-point lead. Calvin fought back to tie the game at 63, and regulation ended at 69-69.  

Sarah Smith and Young hit jumpers to open overtime for St. Thomas, followed by two free throws each from Weiers, Kelly Brandenburg and Kellie Ring to build a 10-point lead.

UST forced 26 turnovers, shot 49 percent from the field (4-of-6 from 3-point range), and converted 27-of-35 free throws. Ring had six steals.

The Tommies won 30 games for the first time in school history. In their last trip to the Final Four, in 2000, they finished third. They also finished third in 1995 and 1996 and won their only national title in 1991.  

Click here to view box score: http://athletics.uchicago.edu/womensbasketball/ncaa310.htm