The Lady Saints’ season ended Wednesday night in the state semifinal matchup.

The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy girls’ basketball team went on the road Friday to face Atlantic Shores Christian School in the semifinals of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state semifinal. Atlantic Shores was victorious 55-33, and it marked the second consecutive season the Lady Saints’ season ended in the state semifinal.

Regardless of the score, the Lady Saints fought all the way until the end. A fast start by Atlantic Shores put NSA behind the 8 ball fast.

“We got down right off the bat, they were pressuring us, and we were having trouble with it,” Lady Saints coach Kim Aston said. “When you get down by 20 points in the first half, it is hard to make a run against a team that is as good as they are all the way around.”

NSA outscored Atlantic Shores in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to catch up from the early deficit.

“Playing Atlantic Shores was a tough game,” senior guard Kaylah Brown said. “But we didn’t back down at all. We didn’t give up, and we fought until the end.”

“It was obvious the team we played was very good,” sophomore Alivia Giles said. “We walked out of that game with our heads held high. Looking back on the season I couldn’t have asked for a better team to play with. I definitely see a major improvement in our team as a whole and as individuals.”

NSA made it to the state semifinal after a big win over Norfolk Collegiate in the quarterfinals. Both state games have provided good experience for a young NSA team that finished with a 10-10 record this season. Next season, they will be without Brown, who was an all-conference and an all-tournament selection. The senior guard is undecided on her future at the moment but has the chance to play at the next level if she wants.

“It was so much fun this season,” Brown said. “I had an amazing time playing with everyone.”

The JV team won the conference championship this season, so Aston is expected to move some players up for next year.