JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – In a women's basketball game that went back and forth to the end, Grinnell College lost a 59-58 thriller that saw the conclusion of a star's storied collegiate hoops career.
 
Kayla Morrissey '18 posted her eighth double-double of the season and finished ranked among the program's top 10 in a dozen career categories and four season categories.
 
Morrissey tallied a game-high 30 points with the help of 9-of-9 shooting from the free throw line. She also had 11 rebounds.
 
Among her achievements was finishing as Grinnell's career leader for free throws made and attempted with 417 and 536, which ranks fourth and fifth in the Midwest Conference, respectively.
 
Another senior playing her final game, Margaret Giles '18, had a strong day on the glass with a career-high eight rebounds. Regan Kasprak '19 added 11 points, while Abby Hellweg '19 had two steals and Hanna Kessel '19 a pair of assists.
 
Grinnell (7-15, 4-12 MWC) showed it meant business from the start, shooting out to a 10-0 lead as Morrissey scored three baskets and two free throws and Kasprak a jumper.
 
However, Illinois College (9-16, 7-9 MWC) rallied and was within 16-10 by the end of the first period.
 
The Lady Blues grabbed the lead briefly in the second period, but Grinnell closed out the frame with a run and led 33-28 at intermission.
 
It remained close in the third period. Grinnell pushed its lead to six early in the frame on Kasprak's trey, but again Illinois College rallied and took a 48-45 lead heading into the final frame.
 
The Pioneers got their final lead at 52-50 on Morrissey's jumper with 6:51 left, but the Lady Blues answered with a six-point run.
 
Two Morrissey free throws with 48 seconds left trimmed the gap to two. Illinois College and Kasprak traded free throws before the Lady Blues added two more to lead 59-55 in the waning seconds.
 
Kessel hit a 3-pointer as time expired to account for the final score.
 
Morrissey finished in Grinnell's career top 10 for points (third with 1,426), scoring average (third at 15.3), three-point percentage (third at 32.4 percent), field goals made (fifth with 471), free throw percentage (fifth at 77.8), rebounds (sixth with 614), blocked shots (sixth with 66), field goals (seventh with 1,081), rebound average (seventh at 6.6) and blocked shots average (seventh at 0.7).
 
In season categories, she ranks second in free throws made (168) and attempted (211), is sixth in scoring average (20.7) and eighth in points (456). Both free throws made and attempted are second in the MWC.