SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team fought back after a rough start to make it game in the final minutes, but the Augustana Vikings held on to take a 69-63 victory in Sioux Falls, S.D.
After Angie Jetvig hit the first shot of the game, the Viking women would score nineteen unanswered points to build a 19-2 lead at the thirteen minute mark.
Augustana would build their lead to sixteen with only 5:22 left in the half, 31-15, but MSU Moorhead would turn good defense into good offense to jump start a 10-2 run to end the half and cut the Viking lead to only eight heading into halftime, 33-25.
The Vikings would start the second half much like the first, rebuilding their advantage to 21 points with 13:42 remaining, 52-31.
Augustana would hold a 19 point lead with 10:55 to go, but not for long as the Dragons would assemble an inspiring 25-9 run to cut their deficit to only three points with 2:34 to go in the game.
Megan Doyle would stop, pop and hit a jumper on the right elbow to put the Vikings up by five with 1:27 remaining.
After a timeout, Jetvig would get open on the arc and connect to bring the Dragons within two points with :28 to go.
Forced to foul, the Dragons put Molly Hayes on the line for a one-and-one. She connected on both attempts to put her team up four.
Abby Reiter would drive and shoot with fifteen seconds left and miss, but Jetvig would collect the offensive rebound and put up an attempt of her own, but come up short as well.
The Dragons would be forced to foul again, and with only one second left the Viking's Alex Feeney would add a pair of free throws to give Augustana the 69-63 victory over the Dragon women.
Even though the Dragons fell short of victory, they got some help from Wayne State University as the Wildcats defeated the Golden Eagles from Minnesota Crookston and in doing so, solidified an MSU Moorhead Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference post-season game.
The Dragon women return to action Saturday night against Wayne State University in their final game of the 2010-11 regular season. Tip-off is schedule for 4 p.m.
