By Jacob Knabel, Concordia (Neb.) Sports Information Director

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score - Bracket) Third-seeded Marian (Ind.) blitzed Cinderella Oregon Tech with a 22-5 run off the opening tipoff and coasted in Friday afternoon’s second round contest at the 2016 NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championships inside the Tyson Events Center. That opening surge propelled the Knights to 72-66 victory, boosting them to the program’s first-ever quarterfinal appearance.

In her third season as head coach, Katie Gearlds will lead her squad (29-6 overall) into the quarterfinals against either top-seeded Morningside (Iowa) or fourth-seeded Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) at the 2016 event presented by presented by Mercy Medical Center and Seaboard Triumph Foods. Seventh-seeded Oregon Tech, which upset second-seeded Jamestown (N.D.) in the first round on Wednesday, saw its season end with an overall mark of 26-9. It qualified for the national championships via an automatic bid out of the Cascade Collegiate Conference.

The Hustlin’ Owls never completely recovered from their large early hole, but the contest did get tight down the stretch thanks in large part to the marksmanship of Ashleigh Vandenbrink. She made a trio of triples over the final 5:35 of game time, with the final one slashing the Oregon Tech deficit to five (66-61) with 2:35 left. Teammate Tess Armstrong nailed a trey less than a minute later to leave Marian clinging to a 68-64 lead.

Star guard Lakan Hasser-Smith and the Knights may have bent, but they did not break. On back-to-back defensive possessions in the final minute, Marian forced a miss and then turned the Hustlin’ Owls over via a Hasser-Smith steal to thwart another upset attempt. Turnovers were a fatal flaw for Oregon Tech, which had 21 giveaways to the Knights’ 11.

Hasser-Smith, who had 24 points in Marian’s first-round win over Milligan (Tenn.), put up 19 more tallies on Friday. Also for the victors, Kellie Kirkhoff added 11 points off the bench and Kirby Anastacia pitched in 10 points and five rebounds. Joana Soeiro dished out eight assists while Jenna Sullivan lent six points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Armstrong topped the Hustlin’ Owls with 15 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. Vandenbrink amassed nine of her 12 points in the final stanza. She added six rebounds and three assists. Karly Leveque had 13 points and four steals.

Regular-season champion of the Crossroads League, Marian is slated to play at 3 p.m. CT on Friday in the quarterfinals.