Saint Francis Falls to Dordt in NAIA Quarterfinals; Mantyla Reaches 1,000 Career Points
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Saint Francis (Ind.) (30-4) | 20 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 62 |
|
Dordt (IA) (32-2) | 17 | 24 | 28 | 14 | 83 |
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The No. 2-seeded University of Saint Francis (Ind.) Cougars fell to the top-seeded Dordt University Defenders by a final score of 83-62 in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament Quarterfinals on Saturday, March 21, at the Tyson Events Center.
Julia Mantyla scored her 1,000th career point during Saturday night's game. The senior guard from Middlebury, Ind., made a free throw in the fourth quarter to reach the milestone.
Saint Francis and Dordt battled in the opening quarter, with both teams looking to take control early. A jumper at the 4:57 mark of the first quarter gave SF a 12-8 lead. After the Defenders tied the game and briefly took the lead, the Cougars responded to close the quarter ahead 20-17. Dordt opened the second quarter by tying the game once again, and the teams continued to trade baskets before the Defenders pulled away late to take a 41-31 lead into halftime.
Dordt carried the momentum into the second half, shooting 62.5% from the field and scoring 28 points in the third quarter to extend its lead to 69-46. Despite outscoring the Defenders in the fourth, the Cougars were unable to close the gap as Saint Francis saw its season come to an end against the defending national champions.
The Cougars shot 36.5% (19-52) from the field and 28.6% (6-21) from three-point range while forcing 16 turnovers. Isabella Gizzi led Saint Francis with 15 points, followed by Cali Gregory with 12. Taylor Fordyce added 11 points, while Renna Schwieterman finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
Saint Francis concludes the 2025-26 season with a 30-5 overall record. The Cougars made their 21st appearance in the national tournament and 12th trip to the quarterfinals in program history.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The academic structure at Saint Francis offers seven pathways: Humanities, Faith and Liberal Arts; Allied Health; Business and Leadership: Creative Arts and Digital Media; Education, Human Services and Community Care; Nursing; and Sciences and Medical Studies. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis delivers workforce development healthcare programs in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Gas City, Indianapolis, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Five-Star Champion of Character institution, Saint Francis has 21 athletic programs boasting three individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.
