Catawba Women's Basketball Makes History as First-Ever SAC Team to Advance to National Semifinals
St. Joseph, Mo. —- The Catawba College women's basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball national semifinals on Monday afternoon, defeating No. 3 Cal St.-Dominguez Hills 77-70 at the Civic Center in St. Joseph, Mo. The Catawba Indians improve to 29-5 overall while the Toros fall to 31-2.
Lyrik Thorne led the way for Catawba, scoring a game-high 27 points, 21 of which came in the second half. The senior guard, who broke the school's single-season points record on Monday, added five assists and shot 10-of-12 from the free throw line. Mercedes Wampler added 10 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Catawba forwards Sara McIntosh and Mary Spry each scored in double figures with 10 points apiece. Dawnyel Lair had a team-high 16 points for CSUDH.
Catawba becomes the first South Atlantic Conference program to ever reach the national semifinals, where they'll face No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth on Wednesday at the Civic Center in St. Joseph, Mo.


