PORTSMOUTH, Ohio  — The St. Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) women's basketball team saw their season come to an end on Wednesday evening (Feb. 26), falling to regular season champion Shawnee State, 60-51, in the River States Conference quarterfinals.

Despite a valiant effort from the Pomeroys, who were led by Madison Fueger and Brooklynn Jones, the team couldn't overcome Shawnee State's second-half surge. Fueger finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Jones chipped in with four points and seven boards in her final game for SMWC.

The game was tight through the first three quarters. After trailing by six at halftime, SMWC cut the deficit to just one point early in the fourth quarter, but Shawnee State outscored them 21-12 in the final frame to seal the victory.

Abby Worley collected one assist to cap her career with 393 assists, a new SMWC school record. Her leadership and playmaking ability have been key to the team's success throughout her career.

Along with Fueger and Jones, Irye Gomez was a standout for the Pomeroys, scoring 12 points, including four three-pointers. Destiny Thomas also provided valuable contributions, finishing with 10 points.

Earlier today, Fueger & Jones were named All-River States Conference First Team selections while Thomas & Gomez were named to the third team.

Shawnee State was led by Miyoshi Ellis and Jariah Steele, each scoring 15 points. Ellis also contributed seven rebounds and six assists, while Steele added six rebounds and four assists. Cianna Gloster added a double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds, helping Shawnee State dominate the boards 37-29.

SMWC's defense kept them in the game with 15 points off turnovers and 13 second-chance points.

The Pomeroys allowed Shawnee State to build a small lead in the early going. After Shawnee State's Cianna Gloster opened the scoring with a layup at 9:24, Gomez hit a three-pointer with 3:45 remaining to briefly cut the deficit to 9-7. However, Gloster and Jariah Steele kept Shawnee State in control, with Gloster adding another layup at 2:14 to make it 11-7 and Steele hitting a jumper at 7:35 to push the lead to six points.

Madison Fueger was a bright spot for SMWC in the opening period, grabbing key rebounds and contributing a layup to keep the Pomeroys in the game. Thomas also provided some solid contributions, adding a jumper to make it 11-9 at 2:01.

Shawnee State opened the second period with a strong start, as Jariah Steele knocked down a three-pointer at 9:51 to give the Bears a 16-7 lead. The Pomeroys responded with a pair of buckets from Madison Fueger, who scored a layup at 9:34 and a quick jumper at 7:58 to cut the deficit to 18-14. Kylee Stepp also contributed with a three-pointer at 8:35, helping to keep the Pomeroys within reach at 18-12.

The Bears added to their lead with a series of baskets from Cianna Gloster and Jada Johnson, while Steele assisted on a jumper from Johnson to make it 22-14 with 7:12 remaining. Despite the deficit, St. Mary-of-the-Woods continued to fight, with Thomas playing a pivotal role by contributing a layup at 5:36 and another at 00:36 to keep the Pomeroys within one point at 24-23.

Shawnee State maintained a slight advantage, aided by solid defense and rebounding from Gloster, who had multiple key boards in the quarter. Emily Maynard also chipped in with a few key steals, though her shooting struggles from deep continued.

The Pomeroys had a chance to take the lead late in the quarter, as Gomez hit a three-pointer at 2:40 to make it 23-21, but Shawnee State's defense held firm in the final seconds.

The Bears started the second half strong with Cianna Gloster converting a layup early to extend Shawnee's lead to 26-23. However, the Pomeroys responded quickly, as Samara Douglas hit a layup of her own, cutting the deficit to 26-25.

After a few turnovers on both sides, Gomez came up big for SMWC, draining a three-pointer at 7:20 to make it 29-28. The Bears' Emily Maynard answered with a three-pointer at 6:49 to push Shawnee's lead back to 32-28.

The game stayed tight as both teams traded baskets. Gomez responded again with another three-pointer at 6:31 to keep the Pomeroys within striking distance. Shawnee State's Jariah Steele provided a key jumper at 6:03, making it 34-31, but St. Mary-of-the-Woods continued to hang on.

After another layup by Fueger at 4:59, the Pomeroys pulled within one point at 34-33, but Steele's strong performance helped keep Shawnee ahead. Thomas added a layup at 2:38, bringing the Pomeroys within two at 39-37, but the Bears' defense held strong in the final minute.

With the game knotted at 39-39 entering the final quarter, the Bears took control early. Lauren Hawthorne put Shawnee State ahead with a layup at 8:53, making it 41-39. Shawnee then went on a 7-0 run, highlighted by Cianna Gloster's layup and free throw at 7:59, pushing the lead to 46-39. Fueger and Diamond Bryant tried to keep the Pomeroys in the game, but the Bears' defense proved too much as Miyoshi Ellis contributed key baskets and free throws to extend the lead further.

By the 5:43 mark, Shawnee held a 50-41 advantage after Ellis scored a layup. Despite a valiant effort from SMWC, including a strong push from Thomas and Bryant, the Pomeroys couldn't fully recover.

The Bears kept the pressure on, with Jariah Steele and Gloster continuing to score in the paint, pushing the Shawnee State lead to 54-41 with just over three minutes remaining.

The game marked the end of a successful era for a 10-member SMWC senior class which rewrote the record book for the Pomeroys. SMWC closes the season with a 15-14 overall record — their third consecutive winning season. This senior class finishes their career with 63 career victories over the last four years.