ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Augustana women's basketball team nearly completed a comeback but fell just short in an 83-73 loss at Concordia-St. Paul Saturday afternoon.
 
Lauren Sees poured in 25 points while Michaela Jewett added 20 as AU fell to 1-3 on the year and 1-1 in the NSIC. The Golden Bears improved to 6-1, 2-0.
 
Augustana controlled the opening quarter, jumping out to a 10-point advantage at 17-7 after Katie Leisen connected on a 3-point basket with an assist from Jewett. Augustana led 20-16 after the first frame.
 
The Vikings maintained their lead for much of the second quarter and pushed the lead to eight points thanks to a Jewett 3-point field goal. The score was 26-18 with 6:22 remaining in the quarter.
 
After the Golden Bears made a comeback in the quarter, securing a 36-33 lead with 48 seconds on the clock, Aby Phipps sank a pair of free throws with 20 seconds remaining to make the score 36-35. Augustana then drew an offensive foul with nine seconds left in the half, setting up a final play that gave the visiting team the lead at intermission.
 
Sees ripped a pass to Jewett off the left-elbow where she sank the 3-pointer for a 38-36 lead.
 
Much like the first and second quarters, Augustana again controlled the opening minutes of the third quarter as Jewett scored on an old-fashioned 3-point play followed by a jumper from Sees with AU holding a 45-38 lead. Jewett made a layup while getting fouled for the 3-point play. After Jennifer Aadland blocked the Golden Bears' shot attempt, Sees made a jumper in the paint for the seven-point lead.
 
The Vikings then got stuck at 45 points over the next four minutes of game clock while the Golden Bears took the lead on an 11-0 run and a 49-45 score. CSP ended the third quarter leading 56-51.
 
Concordia-St. Paul's lead grew to 13 points at 67-54 before the Vikings began their comeback.
 
With time ticking away and CSP leading 73-65, AU scored five quick points, first a 3-pointer from Sees. The Vikings' senior then stole the ball from the home team and drove the ball for a fast-break layup and the 73-70 score with 1:50 remaining.
 
However, with Concordia-St. Paul making their free throws as time was extended, it put a damper on AU's full comeback in the 83-73 final.
 
Jewett completed the double-double, the third of her career, with 12 rebounds, five on the offensive end of the floor and seven on defense.
 
The Vikings remain on the road Sunday with a 4 p.m. contest with No. 20 Minnesota Duluth. The contest is a rare Sunday NSIC game.