ALBANY, N.Y. — Oregon State overcame Notre Dame’s stress to earn its first Elite Eight berth since 2018.
The Beavers, weathering a season-high 26 turnovers, beat Notre Dame 70-65 Friday in a girls’s NCAA Match Albany 1 Regional semifinal at MVP Area.
Timea Gardiner and Raegan Beers posted double-doubles, and the Beavers shot 60% as OSU beat Notre Dame for the primary time at school historical past.
Oregon State (27-7) advances to Sunday’s Elite Eight, the place it would play the South Carolina-Indiana winner for the regional championship. Recreation time will probably be set Friday evening.
Gardiner had 21 factors and 11 rebounds, whereas Beers had 18 factors and 13 boards for the Beavers. Oregon State outrebounded Notre Dame 42-24.
The Irish (28-7) stayed within the sport with stress, as OSU’s 26 turnovers led to 27 Notre Dame factors. It made the sport tougher, however didn’t undo the Beavers.
Sonia Citron scored 22 factors and Maddy Westbeld 19 to steer Notre Dame.
Oregon State earned its third Elite Eight berth at school historical past. The Beavers different appearances got here in 2016 and 2018.
Oregon State led 32-31 at halftime, following a primary half the place the Beavers dominated in all places however turnovers. Notre Dame feasted on OSU’s 12 turnovers, changing them into 14 first-half factors.
The Beavers shot 58% throughout the first half, hitting 15 of 26 photographs. OSU led 17-15 after the primary quarter. Again-to-back layups by Beers and Dominika Paurova gave the Beavers a 21-17 lead early within the second. However turnovers proved expensive. Notre Dame spurted, operating off seven consecutive factors to take a four-point lead late within the half. The Beavers completed sturdy, scoring the ultimate 5 factors, together with a 3 by Gardiner, and headed to halftime with the lead.
Oregon State began the third quarter on hearth. The Beavers hit 5 of their first six photographs, forcing Notre Dame to name timeout because the lead was 43-33.
Notre Dame bounced again by turning up the defensive stress, peeling off seven consecutive factors to chop the deficit to 3. OSU didn’t blink, as Donovyn Hunter scored on a three-point play, adopted by a drive from Adlee Blacklock, pushing the result in eight.
The Irish stored coming. Late within the quarter, Maddy Westbeld hit a 10-footer to tie the sport. However OSU had the ultimate say, when Gardiner buried a 3 simply earlier than quarter’s finish to provide the Beavers a 53-50 lead.
Oregon State’s turnovers continued to be an issue early within the fourth. The Beavers turned it over thrice throughout the first two minutes, as Notre Dame took a 54-53 lead. Then it was OSU’s flip, as Gardiner hit back-to-back photographs to place the Beavers in entrance 57-54. A minute later, Citron tied it with a three-point play.
After Notre Dame took a 59-57 lead, Hunter and Lily Hansford delivered back-to-back threes to place OSU up by 4 with two minutes left.
Notre Dame lower the OSU result in 63-61 and had a possession to take the lead. However Hunter made a key steal close to midcourt, and fed von Oelhoffen, who was fouled and hit two free throws with 1:07 remaining.
After a Hannah Hidalgo basket, Oregon State labored the clock to perfection, as Gardiner pounded the ball in to Beers for a layup and a 67-63 lead with 29 seconds left. Von Oelhoffen then made an enormous defensive play, blocking a shot by Citron. Von Oelhoffen all however sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left.
— Nick Daschel covers Oregon State athletics, particularly soccer and basketball, and will be reached at 360-607-4824, ndaschel@oregonian.com or @nickdaschel.
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