Box Score

WAUKESHA, Wis. – Augustana dug itself a 21-4 hole after one quarter Saturday and was never able to climb all the way out, falling 75-69 to Carroll at Van Male Field House. The setback dropped the Vikings to 12-9 on the season and 5-7 in the CCIW, while the Pioneers improved to 7-13 overall and 4-7 in the league.
 
After Carroll's Delaney Sjong and Augustana's Victoria Allen (Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.) traded baskets in the first two minutes, Sjong scored again and the hosts had the lead for good. Sjong's second field goal sparked a 12-0 Carroll outburst and after freshman Justice Edell (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) scored for the Vikings, Sjong answered to start a 7-0 Pioneer run to close the first quarter. Brittney Wald's bucket shortly before the buzzer gave Carroll a 21-4 advantage.
 
The visitors began to chip away, scoring the first six points of the second period on baskets by Meghan Stovall (Broomfield HS, Broomfield, Colo.) and Sadie Roberts (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and a pair of Izzy Anderson (Alleman HS, Rock Island, Ill.) free throws. Edell's field goal with four seconds left in the half pulled Augustana to within 29-20 at intermission.
 
Coach Mark Beinborn's team hit just eight of 29 (.276) first-half field goal attempts, including one of 11 (.091) from beyond the arc.
 
The Vikings continued to trim the deficit in the third quarter. A pair of Roberts free throws with 1:43 left in the period cut it to 47-42—the closest Augustana had been since four minutes in. After the Pioneers extended the advantage to nine (52-43), sophomore Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) scored just before the third-quarter buzzer to make it 52-45 heading to the fourth.
 
Another Jones bucket with 8:12 to play pulled the Vikings to within 53-49, but Carroll responded with 10 straight points—including five by Rachel Van Sluys—in the next minute and a half and Augustana would never recover. The Vikings got as close as five points three times in the last three minutes and although the Pioneers hit just two of six free throws in the final 35 seconds, could get no closer.
 
Jones led the Vikings with 16 points, followed by Allen and Anderson with 14 each. Roberts grabbed 10 rebounds—three more than Jones—and Scooter Lopez (Mountain Vista HS, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) had a team-high four assists while matching Allen's team-best three steals. Wald led four Pioneers in double figures with 22 points. Katie Rossetti had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Augustana shot just .328 for the game on 21 of 64 from the field. The Vikings were six of 27 (.222) from three-point range and 21 of 24 (.875) from the foul line. Carroll hit .500 (27-54) from the field, including .583 (14-24) in the second half. The Pioneers were six of 15 (.400) from long range and 15 of 25 (.600) from the free throw line. Carroll outrebounded Augustana 41-36 and committed 28 turnovers to 21 for the Vikings.
 
Beinborn's club will try to snap a four-game losing streak on Wednesday, February 7, when Elmhurst visits Carver Center for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.