Last week when I talked to Jena Stutzman for the short profile I wrote on her, she could not stop talking about how blessed she felt to have the opportunity to play the last games of her career in the Elite Eight.

As it turned out, Stutzman would play the last game of her career in the national championship. The game – the biggest of her life – also may have been her best.

She had 20 points and eight rebounds in the first half on her way to a career-best 32 points on 11 of 24 shooting. She also made four of 11 3-point attempts, setting the school record for the most 3-pointers in a season (98) and ending her career with 142.

She also made the signature play of her two years at Ashland, draining a 30-foot 3-pointer from the “Elite Eight” logo near center court to send the game into overtime.

Down three with 9.6 seconds left, Stutzman took a handoff from forward Kari Daugherty, who was standing beyond the 3-point line on the right wing, right in front of where I was sitting.

She took two dribbles, both of them taking her further from the basket. Believe it or not, I never doubted her. This is the same woman that pulled up in crunch time during the GLIAC semifinal game against Michigan Tech; the same woman that drained five 3-pointers and scored 29 points in her first NCAA tournament game; the same woman who pulled up from 25 feet just two nights before and buried a “3” going into halftime against Bentley.

The look that she had when she made those plays, I saw it again when she was getting ready to fire what has since been referred to only as “the shot” in Eagle Nation circles. If anything—if it’s even possible—the look she had Friday was even more intense and focused.

Of course, what was elation and relief turned to disappointment and sorrow just a few minutes later. Stutzman fouled out with 1:13 left in overtime and the Eagles lost 88-82.

Everyone else on the team will be back. They will have more games, more wins and, hopefully, another chance to win a national title.

But for Stutzman, this run was not supposed to end with a loss. The amount of blood, sweat and tears that she poured into Ashland’s program over the last two years cannot be measured. Coming back from a knee injury, she had one of the best seasons in the program’s history.

She could not have handled the postgame press conference with more class. You could feel the emotion just below the surface, trying to come out, as she spoke after Friday’s game. Fighting back tears, she answered every question. She gave thanks to God, her teammates, coaches and the fans that made this run so special.

She described the shot that she made at the end of regulation.

That shot, it carried with it the hopes of thousands of people who have followed this team—some of them maybe for just that night.

When it went in, the entire town of Ashland celebrated. That kind of unity is rarely seen here. Students, faculty and townspeople – young and old – jumped in the air and put their hands to the sky.

Jena Stutzman gave us that moment. I feel blessed to have been there to witness it.