ROCHESTER, N.Y. – March 1, 2013 – Loren Wagner scored a career high 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the University of Rochester to a 70-66 victory over Emmanuel College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Playoffs at the University of Rochester.

Danielle McNabb added 12 points for the Yellowjackets (20-6). Ally Zywicki had eight points and seven assists. Amy Woods had eight points. Wagner helped Rochester to a 41-35 advantage on the boards.

Rochester will play Williams College in Saturday's second round at 5 pm at the Palestra. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 next weekend. Williams defeated the University of Scranton, 79-59, in Friday's first game.

Fiona O'Dwyer scored 21 points for Emmanuel. Laura Benvenuto scored 13 points and Sarah Higgins added 12. O'Dwyer grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds. The Saints finished the season at 23-6.

"This was two very good teams battling tonight," said Rochester head coach Jim Scheible. "They had players who were tough matchups for us."

Emmanuel counterpart Andy Yosinoff agreed. "It was a closely hard-fought game," he said. "Both teams went at each other. It's probably the best NCAA game I've ever been involved with."

There were two crucial Rochester baskets that turned the game around.  Emmanuel edged in front by three points twice in the second half – at 40-37 on a three-pointer from Britni Mikulanecz with 15:53 left and then 42-39 after two free throws by O'Dwyer two minutes later.

Rochester scored seven straight – a trey by Paige Aleski, a layup from Wagner, and another layup by Walker. O'Dwyer sank the back end of two free throws, getting the Saints within 46-43 with 10:36 left.

Emmanuel's pressure forced some harried passing by Rochester. With the shot clock winding under 3 seconds, the ball came to Walker well behind the three point line to the right of the key. She put up  a long three-pointer that fell through cleanly for a 49-43 edge.

"A big shot by her," said Yosinoff. 

The Yellowjacket lead grew to nine points twice, the last time on a jumper by Woods with just under eight minutes left. Emmanuel pushed  and went on an 8-1 flurry, including four free throws by Higgins, that cut the deficit to 57-55 with 5:46 remaining.

Liz Daley made a three pointer for Emmanuel and the Saints eventually knotted the game at 60-all on two free throws by Higgins (she was eight of nine) in the last four minutes.  Wagner made two layups with a free throw in between, 65-60, at 2:22.

After a free throw by Zywicki kept the lead at four, O'Dwyer sank a trey to trim it to 66-65. Wagner made a layup from Mcnabb's feed with 25 seconds left (68-65), then made two free throws with nine seconds to play after the Saints missed the second of two foul shots with 10 seconds left and down by two.

"I thought our pressure defense would give them trouble, but they handled it," said Yosinoff. "We wear people down, but they have 10 players they run in and out. They were able to match up with our sizes."

"It was a physical game," said Wagner. "They are physical, but we gave it right back to them."

Walker drew O'Dwyer as a defensive assignment for much of the game. "She's big-bodied and quick," Walker said. "She can muscle inside and she can shoot over you. We tried to match that."

Emmanuel scored 17 points off 14 Rochester turnovers and 15 points from 12 offensive rebounds. Rochester had 12 points from nine Emmanuel turnovers and 10 second chance points (13 offensive boards).

"We couldn't get anything (in transition) off our defense," Scheible said of the nine turnovers by the Saints.

"If you told me  we could lose a game with nine turnovers," Yosinoff said, "I'd never believe you."