Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – An 11-minute first-half scoreless drought proved costly for Augustana Saturday, as the Vikings dropped their 2015-16 home opener 56-50 to Webster at Carver Center. Coach Mark Beinborn's club dropped to 3-2 on the year, while the visiting Gorloks improved to 2-1.
 
A three-pointer by freshman Hannah Durbin (Springfield HS, Springfield, Ore.) with 3:04 to play in the first quarter put the hosts on top 13-9. However, those would be the last points Augustana would put on the board until an Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) hoop with two minutes remaining before halftime. In the interim, Webster had scored 14 points to go up by 10. Chelsea Holman answered McNally's bucket with her third three-pointer of the half and the Gorloks took a 26-15 lead to the locker room.
 
The Vikings made several runs in the second half to make it a one-possession game, but Webster turned back each, never allowing the hosts to tie it.
 
Augustana scored the first 10 points of the third quarter, including four by senior Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.) and a three-pointer from freshman Sadie Roberts (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.), but consecutive threes from Kelsey Miller and Kennedy Hartman put the Gorloks back up by seven. Webster led 37-28 after three quarters and another Holman three early in the fourth gave the Gorloks their biggest lead of the afternoon at 40-28.
 
Five points by freshman Corrie Reiley (Prophetstown HS, Prophetstown, Ill.) and four from junior Mikayla Fallon (United Township HS, East Moline,Ill.) keyed a 13-3 Viking run that cut the deficit to 43-41 with 4:25 to play. Holman's fifth three-pointer of the game pushed the margin back to six at 48-42.
 
Augustana cut the deficit to two points on three more occasions late. First, on a conventional three-point play by junior Olivia Mayer (Libertyville HS, Green Oaks, Ill.) at the 1:48 mark, then on a pair of Pezzopane free throws with 1:43 to play. Pezzopane's bucket off a Fallon assist with 53 seconds remaining made it 52-50 and the Vikings had a chance to tie or take the lead after forcing a Webster turnover. They couldn't convert however, and the Gorloks knocked down four free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure the victory.
 
Pezzopane was Beinborn's only double-digit scorer, going for 11. Junior Kaycee Kallenberger (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and blocked a pair of shots. Fallon and Mayer each dished out three assists.  Augustana shot just .296 (16 of 54) from the floor against a tough Webster zone defense. That figure included a six-of-27 (.222) performance from beyond the arc. The Vikings also connected on only 12 of 22 (.545) free throw attempts in the game.
 
Holman led the Gorloks with 17 points and seven rebounds. She hit five of seven attempts from three-point range. Kelsey Miller added 14 points. Webster shot 15 of 45 (.333) from the field, but was a crisp nine of 16 (.563) from deep and made 17 of 25 (.680) from the free throw line.
 
Augustana will try to bounce back on Wednesday, December 2, when Loras visits Carver Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.