VALLEY CITY – After a strong start Saturday, the Valley City State women's basketball team fell to (RV) Bellevue University, 72-63.

Valley City falls to 4-9 on the season and 2-1 in the North Star. Bellevue improves to 11-8 overall and 2-1 in the NSAA.

The Vikings picked up three blocks and held the Bruins to just nine points in the first quarter as they led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter.

With 6:30 on the clock in the second, a bucket from Bellevue's Lexi Allen would tie things up at 18 but a Mackenzie Huber basket would lead the Vikings on an 11-7 run to close out the second quarter and hold onto their lead 30-25 at the half.

Coming out of the locker room, Valley City State built up a 37-30 advantage with 6:43 on the clock when Bellevue scored the next 10 straight, including three 3-pointers, to take their first lead since early in the first quarter. The Vikings reclaimed the lead on another Huber basket with 2:25 to go. Another Lexi Allen 3-pointer for the Bruins with 0:10 on the clock would give them a 51-50 advantage at the end of the third.

The Bruins held the Vikings to just three points in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter as they held onto their lead. Valley City State ran out of time as they fell to Bellevue 72-63.

Valley City State shot 43 percent from the field (22-51), 33 percent on 3's (4-12), and 79 percent from the free throw line (15-19). Bellevue shot 34 percent from the field (21-61), 46 percent on 3's (11-24), and 76 percent on free throws (19-25).

As a team, the Vikings out-rebounded the Bruins 42-30 and tallied eight total blocks. Bellevue scored 24 points off of 24 Viking turnovers in the game.

Senior Mackenzie Huber recorded a double-double Saturday with 25 points on 9-for-12 shooting and 12 rebounds. She also tallied five blocks for the Vikings. Maara Nelson added eight points off the bench.

The Bruins were led by Brittany Hill off the bench as she scored 18 points and went 4-for-5 on 3-pointers. Elexis Martinez added 11 points and 9 rebounds for Bellevue.

UP NEXT:  Valley City State is on the road to face Waldorf University on Friday, Jan. 17, at 5:30 p.m.