CHICAGO -- Morgan Herrick's three-point play with 1:29 left in the game gave the Maroons the lead for good as the University of Chicago defeated the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 56-52 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Saturday night at the Ratner Athletics Center.

The victory sends the undefeated Maroons (27-0) to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the second straight year. Chicago will take on Calvin College in sectional semifinal play Friday at a site to be announced Sunday afternoon.

Game Summary

• UW-Eau Claire (21-7) kept the Maroons off the scoreboard for the game's first five minutes as it built an early 8-0 advantage.
  
  
• Chicago tied the game at 13-13 on a layup by Meghan Herrick midway through the opening period.
  
  
• After the Blugolds regained the lead 18-15 on Ellen Plendl's jumper at the 9:10 mark, the Maroons closed out the half on a 17-4 run to head into the break with a 32-22 edge.
  
  
• The second half started much like the first, as the Blugolds outscored Chicago 11-2 during the period's first five minutes.
  
  
• Chicago held on to a slim lead until Nicole Christianson's basket at the 6:26 mark evened the score at 44-44.
  
  
• UW-Eau Claire took its only lead of the second stanza on a Plendl layup with 1:56 remaining in the contest.
  
  
• Chicago quickly recaptured the lead, 52-50, when Herrick converted a three-point play at the 1:29 mark.
  
  
• The Maroons held UW-Eau Claire to just one field goal the rest of the way, while connecting on four of six free throws in the game's final :22.

Statistical Highlights

• Herrick paced the Maroons with 14 points as they turned in their lowest offensive output of the season.
  
  
• UW-Eau Claire posted a 37-27 edge on the boards against a Chicago team that entered the game with a +9.1 rebound margin. Plendl grabbed 12 boards to go along with 23 points -- both game highs.
  
  
• Chicago committed a season-best nine turnovers.
  
  
• Christianson finished with 14 points and four assists for the Blugolds.

Notes

• Chicago earned a trip to the Sweet Sixteen for the second straight year and third time in the past six years under Head Coach Aaron Roussell.
  
  
• Saturday's game marked the third meeting between Chicago and UW-Eau Claire and the first since 2007-08.
  
  
• Chicago won for the 48th time in its last 49 outings and extended its homecourt winning streak to 27 games.
  
  
• Chicago won the 55th consecutive game in which it held the halftime edge.

Up Next

• Chicago's sectional semifinal game against Calvin this coming Friday will be a rematch of last year's NCAA second round game, a 67-62 Maroons' victory in Grand Rapids, Mich.