Story by Jake Knabel, NAIA Assistant Media Coordinator

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) The final second round game of the Cramer Bracket wasn’t in doubt for long. Defending national champion and No. 1-seeded Marian (Ind.) imposed its will upon No. 5 IU East (Ind.), a team coming off its first-ever win at the national championships. This time around, the Red Wolves were beaten soundly, 96-69, by the Crossroads League regular-season champion inside the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Head coach Katie Gearlds’ program has won seven-straight national championships games in a row and will move on to the quarterfinals and meet up with undefeated Southeastern (Fla.) (28-0) at 6 p.m. on Saturday. IU East will take an overall record of 29-6 into the offseason. 

Guard Jessica Almeida is playing like a senior hopeful of hanging another banner. After totaling 19 points in Marian’s first-round win over eighth-seeded Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Almeida put up the same number on Friday. She did so while making 8-of-11 shots from the floor as part of a sizzling shooting performance by her team. The Knights went 36-for-64 (.563) from the field and 6-for-12 from 3-point range.

It was a runaway from the start. Marian raced out to a 29-12 lead by the close of the first quarter and cruised to a 50-32 halftime advantage behind Almeida’s 13 points in the first half. Plenty of other Knights joined the fun. Kellie Kirkhoff added 15 points, Candace Danz posted 14, Dejah Cyrus chipped in 12 points and five rebounds and Joana Soeiro contributed 10 points and dished out seven assists. 

The Knights owned a grand total of one national championships win in their history before last year’s thrilling run. Marian garnered a preseason No. 1 national ranking and sat at No. 4 entering the national championships.

Making its second all-time appearance on the national stage, IU East shot only 36.2 percent while up against the stout Knight defense. Keragan Niehoff came off the bench to top the Red Wolves with 18 points in 26 minutes. Kristen Miller, the hero of the first round for IU East, added 16 points. Suzy Wallenhaupt racked up 10 points.

This is Marian’s fourth trip to the national tournament. It is now 8-2 all-time on the big stage.