With 25 seconds left on the clock in overtime in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen round March 14, the women’s basketball team trailed Amherst College 71–70.
Senior Mary Kate Tierney fought through the defenders to receive the inbound pass just outside the 3-point line. Amherst defenders swarmed the 5-foot-10-inch Bomber guard, preventing her from taking a shot. Meanwhile, junior guard Samantha Klie raced behind the defenders toward the hoop. Tierney found Klie and tallied her 10th assistant of the game as the Bombers took the lead 72–71.
With a 74–71 win, the women’s basketball team advances to the Elite Eight round of the Division III NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program’s 47-year history.
Senior guard Kathryn Campbell led the Bombers in scoring with 18 points. She also added four rebounds, one assist and one steal. Tierney had a triple double, scoring 14 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing 10 assists.
The South Hill squad trailed 41–32 at halftime, converting on only 12 of 34 field goal attempts in the first half. The Bombers fought back in the second half and took their first lead of the game with 14:28 to play in the second half. The Lord Jeffs traded leads with the Blue and Gold for most of the half, but with 36 seconds left, Bombers’ junior forward Geena Brady made a short jumper to tie the game at 64. In the overtime period, the Bombers outscored Amherst College 10–7.
The host, Tufts University, recorded a 55–35 win against Castleton St. College on March 14 and will play the Bombers at 5 p.m. March 15 in Cousens Gym.
