WATERTOWN, S.D. -- One would often hear, "It is hard to beat a team three times in a row." And, for the Mayville State Women's Basketball team, that adage rang true Sunday, as the Comets fell 63-59 in the North Star Athletic Association Championship Game to the Bellevue Bruins.

After a great first quarter by the Comets, Bellevue turned the tides in the middle two quarters, outscoring Mayville State 33-23 in the second and third quarters, and eventually pulled away in the end.

After a 4-0 run from the Comets to start the second quarter, Bellevue answered with a run of their own, lasting three minutes, before Kylee Heurung nailed a three to put the Comets up 33-19. Bellevue then went on another run, pulling to within six points with just under three minutes left, capped off by Taeha Pankey's three-point play after being fouled. Claire Blascziek and Heurung hit back-to-back free throws, 19 seconds apart, to pull the Comets ahead by eight. Faith Ross ended the second quarter with a three pointer with eight seconds left, making it a five point contest heading into halftime.

Heurung was key to start the game, scoring four of the game's first seven points for Mayville State, which were part of a 7-0 run, capped off by Blascziek's bucket with 7:57 to go.

Morgan Cuffe and Jamie Winkler helped Bellevue to pull ahead 8-7 with 6:43 to go, but Heurung countered less than a minute later, pulling Mayville State ahead.

Three straight free throws by Elexis Martinez brought it to 11-10 with 4:58 left, before Nicole Bunting hit a trey with 4:43 to go. Shanae Collins countered back less than a minute later, tying the game.

Mayville State then went on a 10-0 run over the next three minutes, led by Blascziek's three pointer with 39 seconds left in the opening frame.

The second half started with a Comet run. With back-to-back free throws by Heurung, a bucket by Taylor Shamp and back-to-back free throws by Ertl, the Comets built up a 41-34 lead less than two-and-a-half minutes in. Ertl would eventually extend it to 43-35, before the Bruins stormed back to bring it to within four points. A three by Taylor Skjordal would again increase the lead, but then the Bruins and Comets traded buckets, setting up a seven point showdown with 4:07 to go in the third quarter.

Then, the game took another change, as Bellevue went on a run to close the third quarter. Miranda Hennings hit two free-throws, followed by Laura Jurek's three and Collin's bucket with 27 seconds left, tying the game at 48-48 to head into the fourth quarter.

Cuffe would give Bellevue the lead 49-48 just 21 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Mayville State then went on a run, with back-to-back buckets by Nicole Bunting. But, Bellevue countered with a 4-0 run of their own, on two free throws by Cuffe and two by Jurek, taking the lead 53-52 with 7:30 to go.

The teams would play back-and-forth, trading baskets again, until the three minute mark of the final quarter.

The Bruins went on a key run in the final three minutes of the ballgame, outscoring Mayville State 7-3, behind free throws by Winkler and Martinez.

Mayville State was led in scoring by Heurung, who finished with a double-double total of 20 points and 12 rebounds, followed by  Bunting with 11 points and Blascziek with 10 to pace the Comets.

Mayville State (19-8 overall record) is currently in the receiving votes section of the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball coaches' Top 25 national poll.  The Comets await to see if they have enough to secure an at-large bid to the national tournament.