WASHINGTON, D.C. - Third-seeded Catholic defeated sixth-seeded Goucher 117-71 on Tuesday night to advance the Cardinals to the Landmark Conference Semifinals at Elizabethtown on Thursday.
Catholic scored at least 25 points in all four quarters on Tuesday night, breaking the program record for points in game, surpassing the 115 points the Cardinals scored against Lynchburg in 1985.
Five Cardinals scored at least 10 points in the contest, including three players off the bench.
Kerry Flaherty led the way with 17 points, knocking down five threes to break the Catholic single-season program record for threes made. She was joined by
Sofia Travieso (15),
Olivia Boccella (14),
Keegan Douglas (11), and
Lauren Kraft (10) in double figures.
Catholic dominated throughout the quarterfinal contest, taking an 11-point lead less than five minutes into the game as
Alexa Kenah found
Anna Scoblick for a layup to make it 19-8. After a Flaherty three-pointer with 2:01 remaining in the first quarter put the Cardinals ahead by 12, Catholic's lead never shrunk below 10 for the remaining 32 minutes.
Flaherty pushed the lead to 21 with 7:48 remaining in the first half with her third three of the contest, tying the program record for three-point makes in a season with 68. 45 seconds later, she connected again, putting Catholic ahead 38-16 and putting herself alone atop the Cardinal ranks with her 69th make from distance.
The Cardinal lead settled at 35 after the opening 20 minutes and the Cardinals extended it to 42 after the next 10 minutes. Catholic would go on to lead by as many as 55 before the game ended with a 46-point win for the Cardinals.
QUICK HITTERS
- The Cardinals recorded the highest, and third-highest point totals in program history against the Gophers this season, beating them 107-63 on February 19 before a 117-71 victory tonight. In the Landmark era, Catholic is 33-2 against the Gophers, last losing to them in 2010, 29 games ago.
- The Cardinals advance to the semifinals where they will meet second-seeded Elizabethtown, marking the third time in the last four seasons that Catholic and the Blue Jays will play for a spot in the championship.
- Entering the game in second-place in single-season history in three-pointers made, Flaherty took over the top spot in Cardinal history with 70 makes this season. She becomes the fifth player in Landmark Conference history to make 70 or more threes in a campaign and she sits just one three shy of sixth-place in Catholic history for threes made in just two seasons.
- The Cardinals improve to 13-10 all-time in Landmark Tournament history, setting a new record for points scored in a tournament game.
- Catholic scored 66 bench points in the contest, led by career-highs from Travieso and Boccella. The duo combined for 29 points and seven three-point makes despite playing just 17 and nine minutes respectively. Kraft reached 10 points for the second time this season while Sam Blumenthal gave the Cardinals seven points.
Catholic will travel to Elizabethtown on Thursday night for a 7 p.m. tip against the Blue Jays in Thompson Gymnasium. The winner will advance to the Landmark Conference Championship Game on Saturday,
