SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Augustana women's basketball team completed the weekend sweep against Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon inside the Sanford Pentagon, winning 80-74. Augustana is now 9-4 on the season and 8-3 in the loop while sitting in first place of the NSIC South Division. Sioux Falls moves to 7-4 overall and in the conference.
Augustana was down early with Sioux Falls starting out leading 10-2 after converting an and-one at the 7:34 mark of the first quarter. The Vikings then went on a 5-0 run before the Cougars would go on a 9-0 run themselves.
A 3-pointer by sophomore Lauren Sees brought Augustana closer but the two runs brought on by Sioux Falls gave it the 23-15 edge at the completion of the first quarter.
After a jumpshot by senior Hannah Mitby at the 8:29 mark in the second quarter, the Cougars went on a 9-0 run.
A basket from sophomore Kenzie Rensch with just over four minutes left in the first half, was the start of a Vikings run scoring nine points with Sioux Falls only finding a single basket in that time.
Although Augustana only trailed by three with under a minute to go, late foul shots gave Sioux Falls the five-point lead going into the half.
The Vikings found themselves tied with the Cougars five times in the third quarter, but could never take the lead.
A late layup by Sioux Falls gave the Cougars a five-point cushion heading into the final ten minutes.
The Vikings shot 50 percent from the field in the fourth quarter, but more importantly, they connected on five 3-pointers in the final quarter. A quick 3-pointer by Sees brought the game to within two although it was erased the next possession by a Cougar triple.
Sioux Falls would find it's biggest lead of the fourth quarter at the 7:37 mark up by seven points. From there senior Izzy Van Veldhuizen would score Augustana's next 10 points to give the Vikings the first lead of the game at 64-63 with 5:16 left in the game.
After a Sioux Falls basket, the next offensive possession for the Vikings senior Hannah Mitby would convert an and-one to present a momentum shift on the floor giving Augustana the nod by three points.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Sees and Van Veldhuizen elevated the Vikings to their biggest lead at 73-66 with 2:23 to go in regulation.
Free throws down the stretch were enough to hand Sioux Falls its second loss on the weekend, with the final score being 80-74.
Mitby tied her career-high in points with 23 and also garnered 10 rebounds to achieve a double-double on the day. Van Veldhuizen had 20 points and four steals. Sees joined the seniors in double-digit scoring with 18 points of her own.
The Cougars were led by Dallie Hoskinson with 18 points and Anna Brecht garnered 12 rebounds.
Augustana hits the road to conclude the regular season next week traveling to Wayne, Nebraska, for a weekend of games against Wayne State. Friday's game is slated for 6:30 p.m. while Saturday's game is at 2:30 p.m.
--GoAugie.com--
