NCAA Women's Sectional Semifinal (March 12)

Puget Sound 70, Buena Vista (Iowa) 66

Crestview Hills, Ky. -- Puget Sound shot 50.0-percent in the first half and was able to hold off a late rally by Buena Vista in the secondto edge out a 70-66 victory in the Sweet 16 of the 2004 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.  The Loggers (23-4) advance to the round of eight where they will play Wilmington while Buena Vista concludes the best season in school history with a record of 27-3.

Angie Straw scored 14 of her team-high 19 points in the first half as Puget Sound held a nine-point lead at halftime, 36-27.  All 14 of Straw's first half points came in the paint where the Loggers held a 20-12 edge.  For Buena Vista, they were able to stay somewhat close, thanks to the play of Kristina Kapler who scored 16 first half points, making all five of her attempts from the floor and 6-of-8 from the free throw line.  Kapler however, was the only player from the Beavers who could make a shot as her team made just 33.3-percent of its attempts, going 10-for-30.

In the second half, Puget Sound ran its lead to the largest of the game, 12 points, following a three-point play by Lindsay May to put her team ahead, 56-44.  Down, but not out, Buena Vista responded with a 19-9 run to cut the lead down to only two points, 65-63, with 1:07 left in the game, but could get no closer.  The Loggers made all five of their final free throw attempts to edge out the victory.  Puget Sound's history making run through the tournament continues as this is the first year that the Loggers have advanced to NCAA postseason play.

May added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Puget Sound while Kilty Keaton and Laura Koval added 11 and 10 points, respectively.  Straw also added six rebounds, four assists and four blocks.

For Buena Vista, Kapler and Amy Meggers each went over the 20-point mark, totaling 23 and 20 points respectively, while Meggers had a game-high 17 rebounds.  Katie Maguire scored 15 points for the Beavers who got just two points from their bench.