Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana couldn't parlay a fast start into a win in its season opener at Carver Center Friday, as Benedictine came back from a seven-point first-half deficit to claim a 74-69 victory in the semifinals of the Hyatt Place Tournament. The Vikings will face Luther in the third-place contest on Saturday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. Benedictine will take on sixth-ranked Hope for the championship at 4:00 p.m.
 
Sophomore Lauren Hall (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) scored Augustana's first five points and senior Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) finished the first quarter with nine, as the hosts led 23-16.
 
After a Justice Edell (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) three-pointer gave the Vikings a 30-23 advantage with 5:54 left in the half, a Claire Gibler trey sparked a 12-0 run by the Eagles. They took their first lead (31-30) since early in the game on a conventional three-point play by Allison Michalski at the 4:07 mark. Another Michalski bucket capped the spree. Two Hall free throws and a Jones layup tied it at 36-all, but a Hanna Piro three-pointer gave Benedictine a 39-36 edge heading to the locker room.
 
Jones and Michalski each finished the half with 13 points.
 
The Eagles extended their lead to nine points twice in the third quarter—first at 47-38 on a Gibler triple and again at 49-40 on a pair of Alex Fanning free throws. Two charity tosses by Jeni Crain (Woodstock HS, Woodstock, Ill.) with under a minute left in the third pulled Augustana to within 54-50, but Britney Pitzer split two free throws and the Eagles led 55-50 going to the fourth.
 
The Vikings battled back to retake the lead on two Hall free throws with 8:26 to play and after Benedictine went back ahead, Augustana tied it at 65-all on a short jumper by sophomore Olivia Hagerty (Guilford HS, Rockford, Ill.) with 3:52 left. Two Hall free throws with just under a minute remaining gave her team a 69-68 lead, but two by Fanning at the 37-second mark put the Eagles on top (70-69) for good. They went four-of-six from the line over the final 21 seconds to ice the game.
 
Hall led Coach Mark Beinborn's squad with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. She was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line. Edell added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and Jones finished with 15 points, eight boards and five assists.
 
Michalski scored a game-high 20 for Benedictine. Gibler added 15 and Fanning 14, along with 11 rebounds.
 
The Vikings suffered a cold shooting night, hitting just 23 of 76 (.303) from the floor and just two of 17 (.118) from beyond the arc. They were 21 of 31 (.677) at the free throw line, committed 22 turnovers and won the battle of the boards by a 53-36 margin.
 
The Eagles shot .447 from the field on 21 of 47, .389 (7-18) from three-point range and .625 (25-40) at the foul line. They turned it over 23 times.