VALLEY CITY – The Valley City State women's basketball fell to Dickinson State, 90-85, Saturday to round out its home conference schedule on Senior Day.
 
Dickinson State found 13 3-pointers and totaled four players in double-figure scoring to rout the Vikings. With Saturday's loss, VCSU is now 13-11 overall and 5-7 in the conference. Dickinson improves to 8-15 on the season and 3-9 in North Star play.
 
VCSU recognized seniors Ashlyn Diemert and Elyse Hebrink before Saturday's tipoff.
 
After a close start, the Blue Hawks began to pull away with back-to-back 3's from Katherine Fox and Anhelica Shanrock. The Vikings answered, pulling back in to tie the game at 17-17 on a bucket from Ellie Powell. The game remained close through the middle of the second quarter when Dickinson again found a pair of 3's from Shanrock to build a 37-30 advantage. VCSU would get within four points on a 3-pointer by Diemert to trail 41-37 with 3:14 remaining in the half. Dickinson then expanded its lead to 46-38 at the break.
 
Coming out of the locker room, VCSU struck first on a 3 by Hebrink to begin its comeback. The Vikings inched closer to tie the game at 55-all on a pair of free throws by Ellie Powell but the Blue Hawks held on for a 68-62 lead at the end of the third quarter.
 
VCSU found ways to get to the charity stripe early in the fourth, pulling back within one point at 70-69 after a pair of free throws from JayCee Richter. Dickinson maintained the edge and built up an 89-82 lead with the help of three Samantha Oase buckets.
 
Ellie Braaten sank a 3-pointer with 1:15 to go to trail 89-85, but its final attempts fell short.
 
VCSU shot 47 percent from the field (27-58), 32 percent from 3-point range (9-28) and 88 percent from the free throw line (22-25). Dickinson shot 50 percent on field goals (34-68), 46 percent on 3's (13-28) and 82 percent on free throws (9-11). Dickinson totaled 18 assists and 10 turnovers Saturday while VCSU recorded 12 assists and just seven turnovers in the game.
 
The Vikings were led by Ellie Braaten who posted 22 points and just one point shy of her career-best. JayCee Richter added 20 points while Abby Aslesen scored 16 and Ashlyn Diemert added 15. Hebrink dished a game-high five assists for VCSU and Richter added six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
Dickinson State's Kayden Steele led all scorers with 23 points, Samantha Oase scored 21, Anhelica Shanrock added 15 and Katherine Fox scored 11. Steele and Oase each dished three assists for the Blue Hawks.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU travels to Bellevue on Friday night for a conference game played at its new athletic facility. The game is slated for 5:30 p.m. at 2102 Harvell Drive, in Bellevue, Neb.