By Ryan Pickle ’24, staff writer 

The LVC women’s basketball team fell in the MAC Freedom semifinal game at Arcadia Thursday night, ending the team’s great season. 

The game started off with a Knights 8-0 run in the first quarter. Despite Arcadia starting the night hot, LVC battled back into the game, trailing 19-13 at the end of the first quarter.  

Both teams worked hard on the defensive end in the second quarter as the Dutchmen and the Knights were held scoreless for the first three minutes of the quarter. The teams then found a rhythm on the offensive end. Senior Kate Fitzpatrick hit a three-pointer which allowed LVC to trim the Knights’ halftime lead to just one.  

The third quarter started off as a back-and-forth affair. The Dutchmen tied the game multiple times throughout the third, but never took the lead. The quarter ended with the Dutchmen down just one again.  

The final quarter was a thrilling one. Arcadia extended its lead to five points with 2:29 left in the game. The Dutchmen responded with a 5-0 run themselves to tie the game back up at 49 with nine seconds to go.  

Arcadia wanted to hold the ball for the last shot. With good ball movement, Arcadia found a shooter open on the three-point line and they made the shot. An LVC shooting foul allowed for Arcadia to complete a four-point play, putting the game out of reach for the Dutchmen as they fell 53-52.  

Fitzpatrick played all 40 minutes and led the team with 25 points. Junior Cristina Fernandez had 12 points in the defeat and played a huge complimentary role in the Dutchmen’s offense. 

Brielle Reidinger led the team with 11 rebounds, four of them coming on the offensive end, giving the team plenty of second chance opportunities.  

Arcadia’s starters dominated as four of the five played for all 40 minutes. The Knights had zero bench points.  

LVC ends its great season with a 15-11 record and a third straight conference playoff berth.