SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Western Illinois tied the program record for the longest game played and had three players record career-high point totals, but came up short in the Summit League Tournament quarterfinals losing 106-101 in double-overtime to Fort Wayne on Sunday (March 10). The Leathernecks end the season 14-16 overall, but not before battling the fourth-seed Mastodons all game long.

Freshmen Michelle Maher and Ashley Luke scored 26 and 24 points, respectively, while senior Jackie Rieger added 22 points to lead the offensive attack. It was the first double-overtime game since last year (at Northern Illinois), first time scoring 100 points since against Illinois-Springfield in December 2005 (109), and also the first hitting triple-digits against a Division I foe since scoring 100 against Valparaiso on February 10, 1994.

Down by eight with eight minutes remaining in regulation, Rieger started the comeback with a three-point play. Charnelle Reed hit a 3-pointer, then Rieger would hit three free throws and later a layup to make it 76-75 with 3:15 remaining. Maher's 3-pointer at the 1:50 mark put Western back in the lead ahead by one. The lead hit three for Western on two occasions, the last when Maher sank two free throws with 13 seconds left for an 84-81 advantage. Stefanie Mauk launched a contested, deep 3-pointer with just a couple seconds remaining to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Western led throughout most of the first overtime, but IPFW (13-16) took the lead when Haley Seibert connected on three free throws. Once again, Maher hit another key 3-pointer for a 93-91 lead with 49 seconds left. Seibert responded with a 3-pointer of her own, but Luke scored a three-point play making it 96-94 with 13 seconds left. Mauk drove the lane and her basket with three seconds left sent it to double-OT.

The Leathernecks came up empty on their first three possessions, but tied it on Luke's two free throws and took the lead when the Summit League 'Newcomer of the Year' scored in the lane for a 100-98 lead. Rieger hit the second of two free throws for a one-point lead, but Luke fouled out on the next possession. Rachel Mauk hit both free throws and the Mastodons would not trail again.

Western missed a lay-up with 40 seconds left, then went down three points after a Seibert layup. Another turnover forced Western to foul, and Seibert drained both attempts for the final margin.

"That was a tremendous basketball game. Fort Wayne deserves a lot of credit. We could not stop them getting to the basket, and of course they hit a couple big shots. We hit some big shots too and I'm really proud of the team's effort," said Western head coach JD Gravina. "When they hit the '3' at the end of regulation to send it to overtime, a lot of teams might have folded at that point. We really battled back and gave us a chance to win in overtime. Games like that come down to a play here, a play there. Unfortunately one team has to lose, and today it was us."

Western jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, and led by as many as eight when Maher hit a basket as part of her seven consecutive points for the Leathernecks. Fort Wayne responded by getting hot from 3-point range as well when Rachel Mauk hit four 3s and Stephanie added one. The Mastodons hit 6-of-8 field goals in one stretch to take their first lead of the game.

Rebecca Henricson hit a 3-pointer right before half, but Erin Murphy's basket in the lane put IPFW up by two at the half.

Both teams shot better than 50 percent in both the first and second half from the field. Western finished at 48.6 percent, hitting 12-of-29 3-pointers, but Fort Wayne ended at 55.4 percent and hit a tournament-record 14 shots from beyond the arc.

Maher hit five 3-pointers of her own, the third time this season doing so. She added five assists and only two turnovers playing 47 minutes. She finishes her rookie year with 60 3-pointers, the fourth-most made in a season.

Luke recorded her seventh double-double of the year, adding 10 rebounds. She was 10-of-14 from the field with two assists and a blocked shot.

Rieger saved her best scoring game for last, closing out her collegiate career. She was 7-of-13 from the field and hit 8-of-10 free throws. Rieger matched a season-high of nine rebounds while playing 40 minutes.

Henricson accomplished a rare feat in program history, playing all 50 minutes in the game. The junior point guard scored 10 points, dished out nine assists with only one turnover, hit a career-high three 3-pointers and stole four passes.

Saule Kontautaite broke her own program record of 3s made in a season, hitting one 87 seconds into the game. She finished her two-year career with 68 this season and 135 all-time, good for second place in the career 'Top 10' record book.

Western finished the year with 235 3-pointers, tying for the fourth-most in the Summit League season 'Top 10' record book

Seibert led all scorers with 33 points. Summit League 'Player of the Year' Amanda Hyde scored 17 of her 19 points after halftime and added 10 rebounds. In all, the Mastodons' starting five all scored in double-figures and accounted for all but four of the team's points.

Rieger, Kontautaite, Michele Salvatori, Christina Jones and Karis Phillips played in their final game. Gravina had nothing but praise for his senior class.

"I'm incredibly proud of our seniors. I told them their legacy has been overcoming adversity, and I think they've done that all year and in their careers," said the second year head coach.

Western returns three starters (Luke, Maher and Henricson) and 11 players - including two redshirts - next year, and according to Gravina, "I'm incredibly excited about how bright the future is as well."