MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team had its season come to a close with a 70-52 loss to Daemen in the NCAA East Region Semifinals on Saturday night.
 
The fourth-seeded Rams finish the year with a 24-9 record. Jefferson recorded its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1998 and recorded 20-plus wins for the fourth straight season.
 
The eighth-seeded Wildcats, last year's East Region champions, will defend their title against the seventh seed, Pace, in the final on Monday night. Pace knocked out third-seeded USciences in the other semifinal.
 
GAMEPLAY
Daemen netted the first six points of the game but the Rams answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead. Haley Meinel led the way with five points. After a layup by the Wildcats, Jefferson put together another five points to lead 14-8 with 3:09 left in the opening quarter. Daemen came back with seven of the next nine to get within one (16-15) at the end of the period. The Rams were 7-of-14 from the field in the first.
 
Jefferson held a 20-17 advantage with 7:45 to go in the second. The Wildcats then took over with a 17-2 surge that made it 34-22 with 1:56 on the clock. The Rams were able to cut the deficit to seven (36-29) entering the intermission. Daemen shot 58.8% in the quarter while Jefferson struggled at 29.4%.
 
In the third, the Rams trailed by six (39-33) with 8:29 remaining. The Wildcats upped the margin to 12 (45-33) with six straight points. The teams went back and forth for the rest of the frame and Daemen was in front 56-43 going into the final quarter.
 
The Wildcats held Jefferson off the scoreboard for the first three minutes of the fourth, shortening the chances of a Rams' comeback. Jefferson got within 10 (59-49) with 3:54 to play but Daemen scored 11 of the last 14 to put the game away.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Haley Meinel: 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 assist
- Sam Yencha: 9 points, 4 rebounds
- Martha Apple: 6 points, 2 steals, 1 rebound
- Morgan Robinson: 5 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals
- Allie Warren: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist, 1 block
 
JEFFERSON AS A TEAM
FG: 22-of-69 (31.9%)
3PT: 1-of-15 (6.7%)
FT: 7-of-9 (77.8%)
 
NOTES
- Daemen shot 48.1% from the field and was over 50 percent in two of the four quarters.
- East Region Player of the Year Katie Titus carried the Wildcats with 34 points and 14 rebounds.
- After the region final, Haley Meinel was announced as a member of the East Regional All-Tournament Team.