Box Score
CARLINVILLE, Ill. – Ciara Morgan hit the first of two free throws with six seconds left Friday to lift Blackburn to a 68-67 win over Augustana. The loss drops the Vikings to 0-2 on the young season, while the Beavers improve to 1-3.
 
Augustana trailed 67-63 with just over two minutes remaining, but baskets by Viking seniors Jessica Baids (West Chicago HS, Carol Stream, Ill.) and Molly Etheridge (Normal Community HS, Bloomington, Ill.) tied the game 67-67 at the 1:35 mark. Each team went scoreless on their next four possessions before Morgan was fouled with :06 left. She hit the first free throw and missed the second, but Augustana was unable to get off a shot for the win.
 
The Vikings led for much of the first half. Senior Amy Hicks (Rockford Christian HS, Rockford, Ill.) hit a three-pointer and a layup on consecutive possessions under the seven-minute mark to start a 9-2 Augustana run. Sophomore Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.) capped it with a bucket giving the Vikings their biggest lead at 32-22 with 5:27 remaining. However, Morgan put back her own miss on the next possession, sparking an 18-5 Beaver run to end the half. The hosts took a 40-37 lead to the locker room.
 
An Etheridge jumper with 14 minutes left gave Augustana its only advantage of the second half at 53-52, but Blackburn responded with a 7-0 run to take a six-point lead.
 
The game was as evenly-played statistically as it was on the scoreboard. The Beavers outshot the Vikings .429 to .397 from the field, held a 47-46 edge on the boards and committed 24 turnovers to 22 for Augustana.
 
Pezzopane and Baids led the Vikings with 16 points each, with Hicks adding 15. The trio combined to hit 22 of 40 field goal attempts. Pezzopane also had a team-high eight rebounds. Etheridge had a game-high five assists, with sophomore Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) and freshman Olivia Mayer (Libertyville HS, Green Oaks, Ill.) doling out four apiece.
 
Morgan came off the Blackburn bench to score a game-high 25 points on 10-of-19 field goal and 3-of-4 three-point shooting. Brianna Rae added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Beavers.
 
Coach Mark Beinborn's squad returns to action on Tuesday, November 26. The Vikings take on Clarke, with opening tip at Carver Center scheduled for 7:30 p.m.