Nov. 12, 2022 – Loras College's women's basketball team went back-and-forth with the formidable Augustana Vikings on Saturday afternoon, but came up just three points shy in a 72-69 loss to the Vikings.

The Duhawk (1-1) trailed by as many as seven and led by as many as nine on Saturday, but ultimately couldn't hold off a fourth quarter push from the Vikings (2-0) as they suffered their first defeat of the 2022-23 season.

Augustana, who was hot from three-point range in their Tip-Off Classic matchup with Simpson College on Friday night, hit a pair of three-pointers early on to build a quick seven-point advantage on the Duhawks. That 19-13 lead after the first quarter didn't last as Loras outscored the Vikings 20-9 in the second quarter.

Half of Loras' 20 points in that frame came in the fast break, with a majority of those coming from the free throw line as the Duhawks pushed to issue to get back in the game and take a 33-28 lead into the locker room.

The two sides traded big shots in the third quarter before a transition jumper from junior guard Sami Martin gave Loras an eight-point lead with just under eight minutes to play in the game. A quick scoring run for the Vikings followed shortly after as back-to-back baskets from Emma Berg tied the game and gave Augustana the lead with 1:29 remaining.

Loras was unable to reclaim the lead again after that and was forced to a foul as a late three-pointer from senior guard Madison Fleckenstein was too little too late.

Martin led the Duhawks in scoring again with a 19-point output on a stellar 9-for-12 performance the field. She was joined in double figures by graduate guard Hannah Thiele with 10 and sophomore forward Emerson Whittenbaugh with 11 off the bench for the Duhawks.

Loras will play its first countable road contest of the season next Wednesday, Nov. 16 when it travels to play Elmhurst University at 7 P.M.