SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana women's basketball team fell to Minnesota Crookston 93-70 on Saturday afternoon at the Lysaker Gymnasium. 

Payton Hardy led the Vikings with 12 points, adding four rebounds. Mia Donald, Kristin Edmonds, Miranda Lomax, and Greta Dillinger all added 10 points for the Vikings as well. Isabella Sanneh led the team in rebounds grabbing seven while contributing eight points. 

After a strong start from Hardy, who opened up the game with a quick layup, the Vikings went scoreless for nearly five minutes of play. During that stretch, the Golden Eagles took control going on a 10-0 run. 

Ava Pautz finally ended the drought, but the Golden Eagles responded with two more points. Lomax quickly returned the score with a 3-pointer and both teams went back-and-forth with buckets. The Vikings trailed by four going into the second quarter, led by Pautz with six points.

UMC started this quarter with a 3-pointer that sparked a 9-0 run, bringing their lead to 13 points. Sanneh halted the run with a converted and-one layup for her first points of the night. Her bucket ignited a 7-0 run for the Vikings, highlighted by another bucket from Sanneh and a bucket from Hardy, forcing a Golden Eagle timeout. 

Hardy continued the scoring for the Vikings out of the timeout but the run concluded after a basket from UMC. Despite Augustana's push, the Golden Eagles didn't ease up, going on an 11-0 run. The Vikings went scoreless for 5:40 of play. Lomax closed out the half on a high note with a corner three, but the Vikings headed to the locker room trailing 44-29. 

Similar to the first half, Hardy opened up the scoring for the Vikings with a pair of free throws. Maliyah Elliott added another free throw before the Golden Eagles responded with a 3-pointer. 

Edmonds tallied her first points of the night two free throws, and Hardy knocked down another basket before the media timeout. Edmonds later hit her first 3-pointer of the game, and Pautz capped off the quarter with a pair of free throws. Despite the effort, the Vikings continued to trail 65-47.

UMC started off the final quarter with a layup that sparked an 8-0 run before Hardy stopped the surge with a bucket. Donald entered the game and immediately made an impact for the Vikings, nailing two buckets for the Vikings. Edmonds soon added three points followed by two points from Lomax. The Vikings scoring closed out with a jumper from Donald.

The Vikings return to the court next weekend, starting with Minot State on Friday at 7:30 p.m.