ROCK ISLAND – The No. 3 seeded Augustana women's basketball team opened postseason action in the Carver Center on Tuesday night, downing the No. 6 seeded Carthage Firebirds by a 68-50 score. 

Augie opened the contest sharp from beyond the arc, hitting four triples to take a 17-7 lead midway through the first period. Macy Beinborn cashed three long-range buckets to help build the Vikings' early lead. Carthage battled back to cut the 10-point deficit in half, with Augustana leading 20-15 after 10 minutes of action. The Vikings stifled the Firebird offense in the second, holding the away team to 2-11 from the field, conceding just seven points. An unanswered five-point run to end the quarter pushed Augie's lead to 15 heading into the break. Beinborn paced the Vikings with 14 points in the first half.

After scoring six points each to begin the third, Augustana used an 11-1 run to bring the margin to its largest of the game of 22 points. Carthage continued to get to the free-throw line, but hit just one shot in the quarter as Augie cushioned their lead to 21 heading into the final period. The Firebirds scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, their best total of the game, but could not close the gap as Augustana advanced to their first conference semifinal since the 2019–20 season.

Four Vikings eclipsed double-figures, with Beinborn's 19-point effort leading the charge. Gabriela Loiz totaled 14, while Carly Stone and Matayia Tellis had 11. Loiz narrowly missed a double-double performance, grabbing nine of the team's 44 boards. The Vikings held the Firebirds to just 28 percent from the field and 25 percent from behind the three-point line.

Augustana moves to 18 wins and advances in the CCIW Tournament. They will face the Carroll Pioneers in Decatur, Ill., on Friday, February 24. Start time is scheduled for 5 p.m.