NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Junior Emma Wax (Pine Brook, N.J.) had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 63-56 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks in the third round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament this evening at Smith College's Ainsworth Gymnasium.  Trinity earns its program-record 25th win against just five losses and will face either the host Smith Pioneers or Mary Washington tomorrow night in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The winner of tomorrow night's game will play in the NCAA Semifinals next Saturday at Trinity's Oosting Gymnasium.

"I am so thrilled for this team," said Trinity Head Coach Emily Garner.  "All 16 of them have embraced their roles and performed them to the highest degree.  They all give everything they have every single day and that is why when we any one of them into the game in big moments we have all the confidence in the world that they are going to come through. Our preparation has made us ready to compete in this tournament and our goal is to win as many games as we can and go as far as we can."

Trinity started strong, taking a 10-3 lead midway through as sophomore guard Hannah Marzo (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored her team's first six points on a drive, a three-pointer, and a foul shot. Bantam junior Tori Varsamis (Belmont, Mass.) connected on a long trey and Wax made a jumper in the final minute to give Trinity a 17-9 lead after one quarter.  Trinity maintained its advantage the entire second frame, although the Warhawks closed to within a point on four different occasions.  The Bantams responded with points each time, including the last when sophomore guard Indi DelRocco (Branford, Conn.) made a pair of free throws and then scored inside to give Trinity a 27-22 in the final minute of the first half.  Renee Rittmeyer scored for Wisc.-Whitewater at the buzzer for a 27-24 Bantam lead at the break.

The third quarter saw an increase in defensive intensity on both sides, as Trinity senior tri-captain guard Bria Fuller (Springdale, Md.) gave the Bantams a 35-29 lead with a jumper at the 5:36 mark.  The Warhawks tied the game at 35-35 on an old-fashioned three-point play by Abi Baumgartner with 4:43 on the clock, but Trinity answered immediately with consecutive buckets by Marzo and Fuller.  Wisc.-Whitewater closed the third quarter with a 7-2 run and took their first lead since the opening minute on a three-pointer by Maggie Trausch with under a minute left.

DelRocco opened the fourth stanza by converting a three-point play and Wax followed with a triple to push the Bantams back ahead, 46-42.  Trinity kept its advantage at two scores with stifling defense combined with nifty moves inside for baskets by Wax on multiple possessions.  Kacie Carrollo, who led all scorers with 28 points, made a two and a three to tie the game at 52-all with 5:52 on the clock, and the Warhawks led, 56-55, following a free throw by Yssa Sto. Domingo with three minutes left to play.  Trinity's defense was stout the rest of the way, as the Bantams scored the game's final seven points.  Wax scored again on a drive to give the Bantams back the lead and Fuller hit a short jumper in traffic moments later. The Warhawks missed difficult shots over and over, while DelRocco, Wax, and junior tri-captain Reilly Campbell (Wallingford, Conn.) put it away with free throws in the final minute.

DelRocco and Marzo joined Wax in double figures in scoring for Trinity with 12 points apiece, while Fuller added nine points, five rebounds, and three steals, Campbell had seven points and eight boards, and senior forward Frankie Silva (Auburndale, Mass.) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.  Carollo added eight rebounds to her 28 points and Baumgartner finished with 10 points for the Warhawks who shot 35.7 percent from the floor and 21.1 percent from long range.  Trinity finished with a 41-to-32 edge on the glass and made 17 of 21 shots from the foul line.  Trinity's bench contributed 17 points.

"We compete hard every day against each other, but we do that for good reason," said Campbell.  " I never doubt for a moment that any player on this team is going to go out there and do what they need to do to help us win."