Lady Bulldogs end with 9-12 record on season, played RSL Academy Tuesday in first state round

By Matt Harris 

Staff writer

2-13-2020

GUNNISON—There was no storybook ending on the Lady Bulldogs’ regular season as a final loss left them crawling into the playoffs.

The Gunnison Valley girls’ basketball team lost their final two games of the season with a loss to Altamont, 56-53, and an unceremonious defeat at North Summit, 71-38. The Lady Bulldogs’ regular season, which once started at 3-0, ended 9-12 after they carried a 2-8 mark in Region 16.

Gunnison’s ranking at the end of the season notched them a No. 15 ranking in the 2A state tournament.

“Regardless of the losses this past weekend, we played well,” Coach Melissa Sorensen said. “As a coach, you always hope things come together and click when the postseason begins. It is a fresh start, and hopefully, we have learned from the games during the season.”

Altamont handed the Lady Bulldogs their 11th defeat. It was the first time this season the Lady Bulldogs had lost a game that they scored more than 40 points.

Gunnison played a close game with the Lady Longhorns for the entire first half and were down by just three at halftime, 24-21. Altamont started to make more distance in the third, however, going up by seven heading into the final frame.

Although Gunnison regained some ground in the fourth, they couldn’t snatch victory away from the home team.

“Altamont was shooting really well,” Sorensen said. “We played well defensively, despite Altamont scoring 56. They hit many contested shots that they haven’t made in their previous games. Altamont played extremely well.”

Senior Kaylee Dyreng impressed with a 22-point performance while senior Rian Christiansen scored 12 points on four 3-pointers, and sophomore Kennedi Knudsen scored 11.

Against North Summit in a blowout loss, Dyreng had another exceptional scoring night with 21 points, including five 3 pointers.

The Lady Bulldogs played RSL Academy last Tuesday for the first round of the playoffs and, provided they win, will take on Millard tomorrow.