Box Score

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Despite being limited to .270 shooting from the field by Augustana Sunday, Coe used a dominant performance on the boards and some record free throw shooting to defeat the Vikings 79-73 at Eby Fieldhouse. The host Kohawks improved to 7-2 on the year, while Coach Mark Beinborn's club dropped to 5-4.
 
After the teams traded buckets to start the game, an Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) basket two and a half minutes in gave the Vikings a lead that they would maintain until the fourth quarter. Junior Jen VanWatermeulen (United Township HS, Silvis, Ill.) drained three consecutive three-pointers to help Augustana build a 21-11 lead after one period.
 
Junior Mikayla Fallon (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) scored seven in the second period as the Vikings took a 36-31 lead into the locker room.
 
A three-pointer by Coe's Allie Wirth cut the margin to 37-34 two minutes into the second half, but a Kaycee Kallenberger (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) bucket and five straight points from freshman Sadie Roberts (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) extended the Augustana lead back to double digits at 44-34. VanWatermeulen's fifth trey of the afternoon put her team up 47-36 with six minutes left in the third quarter and a pair of free throws by freshman Corrie Reiley (Prophetstown HS, Prophetstown, Ill.) at the 4:23 mark gave the Vikings their biggest lead of the game at 51-38.
 
The lead was still 11 with less than a minute left in the period, but the Kohawks got an Aleena Hobbs putback, then forced a turnover and added a conventional three-point play by Jordan Holmes with five seconds left to get within 55-49 going to the fourth.
 
The hosts continue to chip away, finally talking their first lead of the game 58-57 on a Laykin Boltz trey with seven minutes to play. Freshman Hannah Durbin (Springfield HS, Springfield, Ore.) hit a three and a driving layup and Reiley a jumper as the lead bounced back and forth. Fallon's two freebies with 2:08 to play forged one final tie at 68, but Mickey Hansche hit a three at the two-minute mark to put Coe up for good.
 
With the Vikings down by five, VanWatermeulen hit her school record-tying sixth trey of the day with 19 seconds left to get Augustana  within 75-73. However, she picked up her fifth foul on the ensuing inbounds play and Hansche and Hobbs each converted a pair of free throws in the last 15 seconds to keep the Vikings at bay. Hobbs' two were her 14th and 15th makes of the day in as many attempts, setting a Kohawk single-game record.
 
Coe made just 20 of 74 (.270) attempts from the field as, for the seventh time in nine games, Augustana allowed an opponent to make no more than a third of its shots. It was the third time this season the Vikings have held the opposition under 30 percent. However, the Kohawks battered Beinborn's crew on the offensive glass, snaring 25 offensive rebounds in winning the battle of the boards 56-40. They were also tremendous at the free throw line, converting 30 of 33 (.909).
 
Individually, VanWatermeulen's half-dozen treys in seven attempts gave her a career high-tying 18 points. Reiley added 11, Fallon 10 and Roberts nine. Kallenberger had season highs of 13 rebounds and five blocked shots. Hobbs led Coe with 26 points and 12 boards.
 
Augustana will try to bounce back when it faces Grinnell in Dubuque, Iowa on Tuesday, December 29. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.