Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Feb. 3, 2016) – Outscored by 14 points in the first quarter, the North Central College women's basketball team never found its groove on Wednesday, falling 109-100 at Augustana College.
 
North Central (10-11, 4-6 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) fell behind 6-0 early and never led, as Augustana (10-11, 5-5 CCIW) opened up a double-digit lead 16-6 at the 5:22 mark.  The Vikings led by as many as 16 in the opening quarter, while North Central shot just 2-of-10 from three-point range.
 
Augustana opened up its largest lead of the contest, a 52-29 lead with 2:50 to play before halftime, but the Cardinals did not go down without a fight, ending the quarter on a 17-3 run.   Lauren Hernandez contributed seven points over the Cardinal run, including a three-pointer with just seconds to play in the quarter to cut the Viking lead to nine heading into the intermission.
 
A Caroline Heimerdinger three-pointer shrunk the lead to just six less than three minutes into the third quarter, but the Vikings responded with a run of their own, a 12-2 run to increase the lead back to 16 points.
 
North Central hung around and drew to within eight points of the lead with 2:58 to play in regulation, but the Vikings connected on 6-of-8 free throw attempts down the stretch, while making its last three field goal attempts.
 
Hernandez led the Cardinals with a career-high 26 points on a career-best 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arch.  Therese Pettersson finished with 19 points before fouling out late, while Mayson Whipple added 15 points and a team-high six assists.
 
Three Vikings finished with double-doubles, led by Marissa Pezzopane's 27 points, while adding 11 rebounds.  Kaycee Kallenberger finished with 24 points, to go along with a game-high 15 rebounds and seven blocks, while Mikayla Fallon added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
North Central returns home on Saturday, Feb. 6, celebrating Senior Night before squaring off with Illinois Wesleyan University, with tip-off slated for 5 p.m.  Links to live coverage are available HERE.