DES MOINES, IOWA - Grand View University's women's basketball team punched their ticket to the conference semifinals Wednesday night with an 80-60 quarterfinal victory over Peru State in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament. The third-seeded Vikings controlled the game from the opening minutes, never trailing after the first few possessions.

Peru State came out aggressive, jumping to an early 7-3 lead behind a three-pointer and strong interior play, but Grand View quickly settled in and found their rhythm. Anna Gossling sparked the offense with a couple of layups, and Amaya Davison converted a three-point play to give the Vikings an 8-7 advantage. From that moment on, it was all Grand View.

The Vikings' defense clamped down throughout the first quarter, forcing turnovers and getting out in transition. Gossling was finding her spots in the paint and knocking down open looks, while Davison attacked relentlessly. By the end of the quarter, Grand View had built a comfortable 21-14 lead, setting the tone for what would be a dominant performance.

The second quarter saw Grand View continue to build on their advantage. Abigail Jones drilled a three-pointer to push the lead into double digits early, and the Vikings never looked back. Every time Peru State tried to mount a run, Grand View had an answer. Davison kept getting to the basket, and Gossling was consistently making the right plays. Claire Galbraith contributed inside, and Lily Smith provided a spark off the bench. The Vikings took a commanding 39-28 lead into halftime.

Coming out of the break, Grand View put the game away. Davison opened the third quarter with another three-point play, extending the lead to 42-28. Taryn Ottemann got involved with strong play in the paint, and Gossling continued her efficient scoring. The Vikings pushed the advantage to 47-29 midway through the quarter, and Peru State simply had no answers. Grand View's ball movement was crisp, their defensive rotations were sharp, and they were getting contributions from everyone who stepped on the floor. By the end of the third, the Vikings held a commanding 62-47 lead.

The fourth quarter was mostly a formality. Grand View's depth took over as the coaching staff got everyone some playing time. Davison hit a three-pointer to push the lead to 67-53, and Gossling kept finding ways to score in the paint. Peru State never quit fighting, but the Vikings' lead was too much to overcome. Smith and Hannah Hartley contributed buckets down the stretch, and Grand View cruised to the 80-60 victory in a complete team victory.

GAME NOTES:

• Anna Gossling led all scorers with 28 points on 12-22 shooting, adding 2 steals.
• Amaya Davison contributed 21 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
• Lily Smith added 12 points off the bench.
• Ellie Knock chipped in 5 points with 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Grand View shot 49.2% from the field while holding Peru State to 37.0%.
• The Vikings dominated in the paint 40-24 and had a 22-9 advantage in bench points.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Grand View improves to 22-7 overall and advances to the conference tournament semifinals. The Vikings hit the road Saturday to face Benedictine as they continue their quest for a conference championship.