Lexington, Ky. - The Transylvania women's basketball team is moving on to the second round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament after they defeated the Washington and Jefferson College Presidents 69-52 at the Beck Center on Friday. 

The Presidents were the first to get on the board, but the Pioneers quickly fired back with an and-one from junior guard Madison Kellione. The first quarter was a hard-fought battle, but the Pioneers came out of it with a 10 point lead going into the second.

The Pios continued their momentum in the second quarter with an energetic burst from junior forward Dasia Thornton who not only scored the ball with back to back buckets, but was a force on the glass as well. The Pioneers were aggressive in getting to the free-throw line and took advantage of their opportunities, knocking down 7 free-throws in the quarter. The Pios went into the halftime break with a 42-27 lead. With Thornton leading the way on 13 points and 6 rebounds, junior Laken Ball also contributed on both sides of the court with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and a lockdown defensive display of 3 blocks.

The third quarter was a back and forth affair as both teams traded scores. Washington & Jefferson made some halftime adjustments and the Pioneers struggled to find the basket early in the quarter. Eventually the Pios got going off of an inbounds play from a timeout, getting an easy two points at the rim and putting a stop to a 6-0 run. Senior Grace Bringard entered the game late in the third quarter and instantly made a defensive impact with two blocks to close out the quarter. Going into the final period the Pios held a 17-point lead, 52-35. They kept the Presidents to a shooting percentage of 33% from the field with only 1 double digit scorer.

The fourth quarter was more of the same as the teams went back and forth, both making shots down the stretch. The Pioneers offensive game kept up its pace to firmly hold onto the lead. 

Washington & Jefferson made a comeback effort in the final minutes, but the Pios finished the game strong on both ends of the court, taking the game with a final score of 69-52. Kellione led the way with 20 points while Thornton contributed a double double with 17 points along with 13 total rebounds. 

Transylvania charges ahead moving to 25-0 on the season overall. They jump right back into action tomorrow to take on the Southern Virginia Knights in a second-round matchup at the Beck Center with a 6 PM scheduled tip. Southern Virginia advanced after defeating the Shenandoah University Hornets 67-48 on Friday. They went 25-4 in regular season play, good for second in the USA South Athletic Conference. 

Hear from head coach Juli Fulks, and forwards Dasia Thornton and Laken Ball in their post game press conference here. 

For more on Transylvania women's basketball, follow @TUWBX on Twitter.