The Ashland Eagles women’s basketball team’s season came to a close in the Midwest Regional final game on Monday night against the Grand Valley State Lakers falling 62-50.
“They [Grand Valley] are a really good team, they’re a team that could definitely win the national championship. We always love when the Midwest region is represented well,” said Head Coach Kari Pickens.
The game opened up with a defensive battle between both sides with the Lakers leading a close affair at the end of the first quarter 11-9. The Eagles led 6 times in the first quarter, but could never fight back completely into the ball game.
At the beginning of the second frame GVSU used a 8-3 run to retake the lead and never looked back, being on top by as much as 12 in the second quarter. Ashland fought within six at the halftime break, trailing 29-23.
“I think our team did exceptional in every single area of the game, except putting the ball in the hoop,” said Head Coach Kari Pickens.
It was a back and forth game coming out of the locker room with AU matching a team high in points scored in a frame, but the fresh legs of Grand Valley’s depth led them to scoring 17 points in the quarter.
The lead was then up to 46-37 with just 10 minutes left to play.
Ashland put together six straight points a few minutes into the fourth, and were within seven, after a sequence where AU shot four free throws in a row and got the ball back on offense due to an intentional technical foul.
“We definitely tried to slow the game down. When you break a press some teams will try to pass and get a layup out of it, we were very much gonna break the press, and we are gonna run a play,” said Pickens.
“We were trying to limit the number of possessions they had,” Pickens continued.
Just as Ashland looked to have hope, Paige Vanstee for the Lakers nailed a deep three to put the Lakers up double figures and carry the momentum with a lively crowd.
The Eagles were left chasing the rest of the game attempting to foul to stop the clock, but ultimately met the end of the road. Ashland ends the year 32-4, making the Sweet Sixteen.
“Ashland is a special special place. I thank God every single day for what he has brought to my life by bringing me to Ashland. I know it’s a tough end for Eagle nation, but hopefully they can come out again next year,” said Pickens.
Grand Valley will head to Pittsburgh to play in the Elite Eight, with Ashland looking to regroup in the offseason for another top ten in the nation run.
