The shot was in the air with a overtime looming should it find it’s mark.
But the final shot was off the mark for the Hope College women’s basketball team and the No. 7 Flying Dutch lost to No. 17 University of Chicago 55-52 in the NCAA Division III Sectional Semifinals (round of 16) on Friday, March 13, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Hope finished the season 26-4, reaching the round of 16 for the 15th time in program history and 14th time since 2003.
Anna Richards hailed a 3-pointer to tie the game 49-49 with 53 seconds remaining.
Chicago’s Annabelle Spotts hit a jumper, then Chris Sanders hit two free throws to make it 53-49.
Maddie Petroelje nailed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining to pull Hope within 53-52.
Sanders hit two more free throws and Petroelje’s shot at the buzzer was off the mark.
Hope led 28-20 at halftime after holding Chicago to six points in the second quarter. But 19 in the fourth proved to be pivotal.
Kate Gross led Chicago with 17 points. Chicago shot 35% and 30% from 3-point range, also going 13-for-16 from the free-throw line.
Hope shot 29.8% from the field and 25% from 3-point range, going 14-for-18 from the free-throw line.
Chicago (20-7) won the rebounding battle 41-36 but Hope forced 18 turnovers.
Petroelje had 16 points, while Anna Richards had 12, Leah Richards had 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Senior Sydney Vis had eight points and Lauren Leach had four rebounds and an assist. Terin Maynard had four assists and four rebounds.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope women’s basketball falls in NCAA sectional as last-second shot misses mark
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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