NAPERVILLE, Ill. – North Central was able to hold off a determined Augustana fourth quarter charge on Wednesday, February 12 in Gregory Arena/Merner Field House and hang a 56-54 defeat on the Vikings. Augustana battled back in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 10 points late in the third quarter and actually had the lead with less than six minutes to play.
 
With 2:53 left in the third quarter head coach Mark Beinborn's team was down 44-34 but was able to trim the margin to seven (46-39) at the end of the stanza. The Vikings opened the fourth quarter with a 9-1 run as senior Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) opened her team's scoring with a pair of free throws and then freshman Macy Beinborn (Pleasant Valley HS, Davenport, Iowa) hit a basket (6:59) and a three point field goal (6:44) to cut the margin to 47-46. Sophomore Lauren Hall (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) scored a basket at 5:59 to give the Vikings a 48-47 lead.
 
That advantage proved to be short-lived, however, as North Central's Haydn Braun hit a three point field goal with 5:27 left to put the hosts back on top 50-48.  After going down by six points (54-48) with 4:13 left, Augustana cut it to two (54-52) on a Gabriela Loiz (Alleman Catholic HS, Davenport, Iowa) basket at 1:44 and again on another Loiz buck with 1:08 left (56-54). The Vikings had a shot in the final seconds to tie the game but it didn't go in.
 
Augustana bolted out to an 18-11 lead after one quarter and with 8:50 to play in the second period a basket by senior Jeni Crain (Woodstock HS, Woodstock, Ill.) had the Vikings up by 11 (22-11). North Central closed out the second quarter on a 17-4 run and took a 28-26 lead into the halftime break.
 
Hall led the Vikings in scoring with 15 points and she also pulled in 10 rebounds. Jones was also in double figures with 10 points and 14 boards. Loiz had nine points and contributed five rebounds as Augustana won the battle of the boards with a 45-35 margin.
 
Allison Pearson led North Central in scoring with 17 points.
 
Augustana is now 11-12 overall and 6-8 in the CCIW while North Central is 10-12 and 6-7. The Vikings will host Carthage at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 15 in the Carver Center.