SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Augustana women's basketball team fell to MSU Moorhead in its second of two contests, 71-66. Although the Vikings led for more than twenty five minutes of the game, the Dragons pulled away down the stretch. 

Augustana struck first with a 3-pointer by Izzy Van Veldhuizen to start the game, showing what was to come in a career-night scoring for the senior. 

The Vikings were able to find points off the bench with junior duo Katie Guentzel and Janelle Shiffler scoring a combined 10 points throughout the first quarter. Shiffler scored the final points of the first stanza from the charity stripe to give the Vikings a 23-20 lead. 

After a slow start to the second quarter, Van Veldhuizen broke Augustana's quick dry spell with a triple with 7:30 remaining in the quarter. That sparked Augustana to push its largest lead of the half at eight points as the Vikings entered intermission leading 38-30. 

The Dragons found their fire in the third quarter and knotted things up at 48-all but saw it broken by a Van Veldhuizen jumper with just seven seconds remaining. The brief momentum shift was squelched by Mariah McKeever as she heaved in a 30-foot basket at the buzzer to give MSUM the lead going into the fourth quarter at 51-50. 

After Kenzie Rensch hit a 3-point basket to open the quarter for the Vikings, the Dragons scored seven-straight points to garner a 58-53 lead. That forced Augustana to play from behind for the first time all game eventually retaking the lead at 62-61 thanks to a Hannah Mitby layup with 4:21 on the clock. 

MSU Moorhead again stifled the Vikings to take a 67-62 lead with 1:22 on the clock. Augustana was unable to recover one last time as the final buzzer sounded with the Dragons leading 71-66. 

Van Veldhuizen scored a career-high 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers in the game. Duffy tallied 11 points to go with six rebounds. Sees also scored in the double digits with 10 points. 

MSU Moorhead was led by Nicole Brown scoring 17 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. 

Augustana returns to the Sanford Pentagon next week where it will host Minnesota State Friday and Saturday. Friday's game is slated for 7 p.m. while Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m. 

--GoAugie.com--