Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana shook off a sluggish first half and overcame a rebounding deficit to pick up a 58-54 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin victory over North Park on Saturday, January 10 in the Carver Center. It was the first league win of the season for head coach Mark Beinborn's team and it took some clutch free throw shooting by freshman Victoria Allen (Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.) to seal the game.
 
After battling back from a five point (27-22) deficit at halftime, the Vikings trailed by four (47-43) with 4:48 left to play when North Park's Rachel Torres scored the last of her 15 points. Allen drilled a three point field goal 17 seconds later and at 4:31 the margin was a single point (47-46).
 
Junior Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.) gave Augustana a lead (48-47) it would not relinquish with a basket at 3:31 thanks to an assist by fellow junior Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.). McNally made one of two free throws at 2:42 to put the score at 49-47 in favor of the Vikings.
 
After having a shot blocked at 2:39, Allen made two huge free throws at 1:59 to give Augustana a four point cushion (51-47). She then came up with a defensive rebound at 1:42 after a missed shot by Torres and that sequence eventually led to a basket by Pezzopane at 1:16 which made it a six point game (53-47).
 
Liz Rehberger of North Park made one of two free throws with :33 left and the score was 53-48 when senior Valerie VanRoeyen (Libertyville HS, Grayslake, Ill.) hit two charity tosses at the :23 mark to put the lead at seven (55-48). A three point basket by the visitors' Nikki Przybyslawski at :15 cut things to four (55-51).
 
Allen hit two free throws with just nine seconds left to push the margin to 57-51 and then she came up with a defensive rebound four seconds later and was fouled. She made one of two free throws for a 58-51 advantage and Rehberger drilled a long three at the buzzer to account for the final score of 58-54.
 
Allen ended the game with eight points but all came in the final 4:31. She was five of six from the free throw line and had four assists, two steals and two rebounds in 22 minutes of action.
 
The Vikings were behind 27-22 at intermission but went on a 14-3 over the first six-plus minutes of the second half to take a 36-30 lead. MaNally's three point field goal at 13:46 put the exclamation point on the run.
 
Pezzopane led the way for Augustana with 15 points and 10 rebounds while McNally had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Jennifer VanWatermeulen (United Township HS, Silvis, Ill.) added 11 points and six rebounds.
 
Rehberger led North Park with 16 points and Torres chipped in 15.
 
The Vikings were on the short end of the rebounding battle as North Park owned a 44-34 advantage. Neither team shot the ball particularly well as Augustana hit at .347 (17-49) and North Park shot at a .344 (21-61) clip. One area where the Vikings excelled was at the free throw line where they connected on 20 of 28 (.714). VanWatermeulen was good on all four attempts and McNally hit on five of seven while Allen was five of six.
 
Augustana is now 7-7 overall and 1-2 in the CCIW while North Park is at 8-6 and 0-3. The Vikings host North Central on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m.