GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The University of Providence women's basketball program fell in the NAIA National Tournament to The College of Idaho 58-56 in overtime Friday evening.
 
The (22-8) Argos scored the first points of the game off a three from senior Kolby Pimperton, but the Yotes (18-12) quickly responded with a basket of their own to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Both teams would go back and forth the rest of the quarter but a mirage of threes from Pimperton, junior Ainsley Thurber and sophomore Monique Carter would put UP in front 16-15 heading into the second.
 
The Argos offense started to click going on a 9-2 run after a three from sophomore Eliannah Ramirez and buckets from senior Ashlee Maldonado and sophomore Keanna Salave'a pushed the UP lead to 25-17 midway through the quarter.
 
The Yotes would not go away, bringing the game to within three, but the Argos answered with a late 6-0 run after a jumper from Maldonado and four straight from Salave'a gave UP a 31-24 edge going into the break. Salave'a led the Argos with nine points in the first half.
 
The College of Idaho started the second half on an 8-0 run to take a one-point lead, but Argos responded with a 12-2 run behind Pimperton's third three and scores from Salave'a and Ramirez to regain a 43-36 lead with three minutes left in the third.
 
Both teams played solid defense and neither could gather any momentum in the final three minutes as UP went into the final quarter leading 45-38.
 
The two teams started the fourth quarter trading buckets with scores from Salave'a and Thurber but the Yotes were able to cut the deficit to three with two minutes remaining.
 
The Yotes kept fighting, bringing the game within two with 25 seconds left, and a layup from The College of Idaho tied the game with four seconds left. The Argos had one last shot to win, but a floater from Carter would not fall, sending the game to overtime tied at 51.
 
Idaho struck first in overtime but a five straight clutch points from Maldonado gave UP a 56-52 lead with just under two minutes to go.
 
The Yotes answered scoring six straight to take a two-point lead with three second left, and despite a shot at the buzzer from Salave'a, the Argos fell to The College of Idaho 58-56 in overtime.  
 
Ashlee Maldonado led the Argos with 13 points and seven rebounds while Keanna Salave'a and Ainsley Thurber added 11.