SIOUX FALLS -- The end of the season was not what the Gorillas were looking for on Tuesday (March 22) night, but the Pittsburg State women's basketball team's historic season did come to an end with a 59-56 loss to Grand Valley State in the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals.

"What a year we have had and what a great group of kids," head Coach Lane Lord said after the game. "We are blessed and impressed to have the group we have. These two [seniors Cathy Brugman and Kylie Gafford] are outstanding young women. Their leadership of a very young basketball team got us to this point."

The game came down to the forgiveness of the rim and in the end two more shots fell for the Lakers. Pitt State shot 34 percent for the game, compared to 43 percent for Grand Valley State. GVSU also had a 42-32 rebounding advantage. The Gorillas had only six turnovers in the game and were 9-for-11 from the free throw line.
Pitt State trailed 47-43 at the end of the third quarter, but was able to use big defensive stops and cooled off shooting by Grand Valley to make a charge midway through the fourth. Paige Lungwitz hit a layup to bring the Gorillas within three. After three defensive stops, Mikaela Burgess stepped up with a big three to tie the game at 51-51 with just over five minutes to go.

Grand Valley answered to go up again, but Burgess came back with a layup for another tie. The Lakers scored again on the other end. Again Burgess stepped up with three to give the Gorillas the lead, 56-55, with 1:36 to go.

The Lakers got a late layup on the other end to take the lead back. Pitt State turned the ball over, but Grand Valley was not able to make a shot to extend the lead. Brugman grabbed a rebound, but another turnover and a foul sent leading scorer Taylor Parmley to the line for two of her 19 and a 59-56 lead.

Pitt State had a chance to tie, but the final shot fell just short.

"When you put so much time, energy and heart into something like we have all year, it hurts a lot to come up short," Brugman said. "I will forever be grateful to this community and this team. It will sting for a while, but we are so proud of this group. I'm thankful to be on this journey and it will be something I will remember the rest of my life."

Burgess led the Gorillas with 13 points; Brugman added 12 and Paige Lungwitz scored 11. Hadyn Herlocker led Pitt State with seven rebounds four assists and three steals. Kylie Gafford scored four in her final game. She also added three blocks to her career record total and had two steals.

Each team led by as many as six in the first half, with six ties and nine lead changes throughout the half. The Gorillas took care of the ball and moved it well, but had trouble getting the shots to fall. Pitt State shot only 32 percent to the Lakers 48 percent.

The game was tied going into the final seconds of the half, but the Laker's Piper Tucker hit a three at the buzzer to send the Gorillas to the locker room down 33-30.

The Gorillas end their historic season with a 29-6 record, the most wins in school history, including a school record 15-game win streak. The team's 277 threes made on the season are also a new school record.

"I don't think people expected a lot out of us," Gafford said. "This team is unlike any other. Being here and this experience, I couldn't ask for a better way to end my career than here with these girls."