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The Trojans rely on one calling card, which has them two wins from their first-ever state title.

"Pressure. Pressure bursts pipes," said junior Sarah Seipp. "That's one of our mottos all year. It always starts with our defense."

Their 53-41 defeat of Whitman at Blair High showcased everything that makes Gaithersburg (22-3) a winning basketball team: Athleticism, intensity and desire.

So maybe it was fitting that Seipp made the difference.

It is fair to say that her emergence, more than anything else, has the Trojans' season still alive. Coming into the season, their only known entities were the Marshall sisters, junior Kara and sophomore Colleen.

But Seipp has become a dynamic, dangerous two-way player, and showed everything in her repertoire in the third quarter of the regional finals. After a dead-even first half, she began a decisive 14-3 run with a drive and dish to sophomore Octavia Scott for a layup, added a 3-pointer from the right wing, then stripped Vikings center Whitney Kolakowski and flew in for a layup.

All told, she registered team highs with 16 points, six steals and four assists. Her biggest impact may be reflected in another number; Whitman's normally mistake-free offense turned the ball over 16 times.

The Marshalls did not shoot well, but were all-around forces nonetheless. Colleen scored nine of her 12 points in the first half, while Kara — the Trojans' leading scorer — didn't score a point until only 3 minutes, 58 seconds remained. She did, however, grab 12 rebounds.

"They're my three amigos," added head coach Adrian McDaniel. "They're amazing; they did a great job stepping up. The difference this year is pressure defense and making free throws."

All three did the latter in the fourth quarter, including all five of Kara's points. They were important, because after trailing by double figures, the Vikings (19-5) rallied back to within one possession in the fourth quarter. Point guard Caroline Kahlenberg began breaking Gaithersburg's press with long passes, and Susan Russell (game-high 17 points) was often the beneficiary.

The Trojans responded with complementary pieces coming up big. Seipp found forward Brittany Carroll for a crucial layup after their lead had whittled to three, and Colleen Marshall found center Aisha Ahmad for game-clinching jumper.

Their reward is a date with Prince George's County's Wise in the state semifinals at University of Maryland-Baltimore County, slated for Thursday at 3 p.m.

"We still haven't done anything yet," said Kara.

Added Colleen: "We're going to get there, we're going to get the job done and bring it home."