GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Gwynedd Mercy shook off a slow start to get past Neumann, 97-81, in a quarterfinal game of the Atlantic East Women's Basketball Tournament Monday night at The Griffin Complex.
The third-seeded Griffins now advance to play at second-seeded Cabrini on Wednesday in a semifinal matchup. The other semifinal pits #5 Marywood, who upset #4 Immaculata, at top-seeded Marymount. The winners will meet on Saturday at the highest seed remaining in the AEC Championship.
Tamia Wessels poured in 20 points for the home team who also go 13 points each from Sydney Thompson Haley Crossley. Elise Sylvester also hit double figures, totaling 11 on the night.
For the Knights, the sixth seed, Jaylin Ortiz score a game-high 25 points. Teammate Terea Hunts totaled 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Gwynedd trailed 21-16 after the first quarter and as much as 11 in the second. That's when GMercyU went on a 21-7 run to close out the half. A late bucket from Thompson gave the Griffins a 41-38 lead at the break. The team was able to stretch their lead to double digits as a jumper in the paint from Thompson made it 57-46 at the 5:17 mark of the third. Sylvester looked to ignite the offense heading into the final frame as she hit from downtown with under two seconds in that third for a 71-56 Gwynedd advantage.
Hunt's three-point play capped a 7-0 spurt by Neumann to begin the fourth pulling the Knights to 71-63 early in the fourth. Gwynedd used consecutive steals in the backcourt to score six-straight to put the lead back up to double figures.
Hunt again tried to give it one last push for the Knights, as her three with five minutes to play pulled Neumann to an 83-70 score. However, Gwynedd took control of the game courtesy of back-to-back-to-back threes from Carley Huggard and Sylvester to help put the Griffins in front for good.
On the glass, of the 67 rebounds, 35 came on the offensive side. Denise Sacco and Tolu Omole each grabbed seven while Thompson and Chyanne Fine pulled in seven apiece.
Game notes: Omole's seven rebounds tied a personal best while her nine assists were a career high…Neumann committed 30 turnovers that led to 35 Gwynedd points…The 67 rebounds were the second most as a team this season.