WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ADVANCES IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
WILL FACE #2 BENTLEY IN NORTHEAST REGIONAL SEMIFNALS

NEW HAVEN, CT- The #3 Setters knocked down a season-best 13 three-pointers, including nine in the final period, to defeat #6 seeded Yellow Jackets of American International College, 77-59, to advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament Northeast Regional Semifinals. The Setters (24-8) move on to play the #2 seeded Bentley College on Saturday, March 10 at 5:00 pm in New Haven, CT, on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University. Bentley won their First Round game against the #7 seeded Stonehill College, 58-55.

Pace built a 24-15 lead with 6:42 left in the opening period, before the Setters shots went cold, scoring only one basket for the rest of the half. AIC rallied with a 13-2 run to close the half, capped by an Alexis Castro three-pointer at the buzzer to put the Yellow Jackets up two at the break, 28-26.

American International extended their halftime advantage to four at 34-30 in the opening minute of the final period. A three-pointer by Stephanie Klingele (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) cut the AIC lead to one. Following a pair of free throws by Castro, Klingele nailed another trifecta to tie the game at 36. Her three-ball launched the Setters on a game-deciding 15-0 run over a five minute stretch that when it concluded, the Setters found themselves up 48-36 and they remained in front by double figures the rest of the way. In the game-breaking run for Pace, Hannah Sheppard (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) Norwich, CT/Norwich Free) nailed a pair of triples, while Liran Buchris (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South) (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South) and freshman Taylor Losey (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) added one apiece.  Buchris added two more from downtown, while Losey connected on another one as the Setters connected on 53.6% of their shots from the field, including 69.2% (9-for-13) from long range in the final period.

For Pace, Losey notched a career-best and game-high 22 points, while shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-7 from the outside, as well as going a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Losey chipped in three boards, three dimes, and four steals. Buchris tallied 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Sheppard finished with 14 points and a game-high eight caroms, while Klingele scored 12 points and grabbed three rebounds.

The Setters held the advantage on the boards 39-38, while outshooting AIC 43.9%-33.33% from the field. Pace also shot better from the free throw line 82.4%-73.9%, while also converting 13-for-28 (46.4%) to AIC 4-for-15 (26.7%) from downtown.