SAN DIEGO-Skyler Knight’s jumper with 30 seconds left held up to lead Westmont to a 64-61 nail biting win over Dominican on Thursday night at Golden Gymnasium.

The victory for the Warriors pushes them to Friday’s semifinal match-up against No. 1 seed Vanguard at 7:15. Westmont moves on at 21-8 while Dominican is now 21-8 as well.

After a 24-22 scorcher of a first quarter (Westmont lead), the pace slowed in the second quarter but not the tightness of the game. The Warriors led 36-34 at the break and neither team led by more than three points in the first half.

Westmont took a 56-49 margin into the final stanza after a pair of Jazmyn Shipp treys gave them a lead, that ironically they wouldn’t give up again—despite how close it was in the fourth.

The Warriors had a 62-54 lead with four minutes left, but the Penguins roared back. A trey by Alyssa Alvarado and a score by Janiya Sawyer with 56 seconds left made it a 62-61 game.

But Knight’s jumper pushed it to 64-61 and a few possessions later, a Dominican three came up short at the buzzer.

“We knew it would be a very challenging match-up for us,” said Westmont coach Kristen Moore. “It was a really tough basketball game. Both teams really battled and I was proud of the way we kept after it.”

Dominican coach Tim Lakose was proud of his squad as well. “We came up one basket short,” he said. “I am so proud of the energy that we brought.”

Shipp had 13 points for Westmont and Lisa Kiefer had 14 board. Alvarado had 15 for the Penguins and Isobel Crosswhite added 13.