Women's Basketball 1/22/05 -- Augsburg 67, St. Olaf 58

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (1/22/05) -- Katie LaGrave (Fr., Okinawa, Japan/Kadena HS) hit three 3-pointers and had 21 points, five rebounds and two steals, leading Augsburg College to its first women's basketball victory of the season, a 67-58 triumph over St. Olaf College in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.

The win broke a 16-game losing streak for Augsburg dating back to last season, matching a 16-game streak in the 1992-93 season for the longest women's basketball losing streaks in school history. Augsburg is now 1-13 overall, 1-10 in MIAC play, notching the first career coaching victory for first-year head coach Jennifer Britz.

St. Olaf, now 4-11 overall and 3-8 in MIAC play, was led by Molly Simon (Sr., Hudson, Wis.), who hit five 3-pointers and scored 21 points with six rebounds and three asssists.

Augsburg connected on nine of its first 10 shots from the field -- including a 6-for-6 start by LaGrave -- to take a 23-17 advantage with 11:47 left in the first half. LaGrave had 14 of Augsburg's first 26 points in the game. Augsburg built the lead to as many as 11 points in the first half and led 34-27 at halftime.

The Oles got back into the game in the second half, outscoring the Auggies 16-7 in the first 12 minutes of the second half to take its last lead of the game at 43-41 with 8:47 remaining.

But Augsburg then clinched the win with a 13-0 run over the next four minutes, taking a 54-43 lead with 4:56 left. Rachel Cherry (Jr., Rosemount, Minn.) had had six points in the Auggie run. St. Olaf trimmed the Auggie lead to five points in the final minute, but Augsburg connected on 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:10 to maintain the lead.

Augsburg connected on 44.4 percent (24-of-54) from the field, just the third game this season in which the Auggies have made better than 40 percent from the field. Augsburg hit 6-of-16 (37.5 percent) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, St. Olaf connected on just 29.9 percent (23-of-77) from the field, including 9-of-29 (31.0 percent) from three-point range. St. Olaf outrebounded Augsburg by a 50-41 margin, while Augsburg had 26 turnovers to St. Olaf's 24.

LaGrave hit 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Katie Kelsey (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.) had 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists for the Auggies, while Kristina Lurken (Fr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) had nine points, seven assists and four rebounds.

Cherry had seven points and six rebounds, and Rosinta Stromquist (Jr., Brooklyn Park, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) and Hannah Bratzel (Fr., St. Paul, Minn./Christ Household of Faith HS) had six points apiece, with Stromquist adding four rebounds, four assists and three steals.

In addition to Simon's 21 points, Christine Schwichtenberg (Jr., Hopkins, Minn.) had 10 points, six rebounds, seven assists and six steals for the Oles. Holly Grimsrud (So., Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS) had eight points, Kristy Larson (Sr., St. Ansgar, Iowa) had six points and four rebounds, and Danielle Stoermer (Fr., Wayzata, Minn.) had five points and seven rebounds. Jenny Dettle (So., Fridley, Minn.) led all players with nine rebounds.

Augsburg and St. Olaf are back in MIAC action on Wednesday (1/26), with St. Olaf hosting St. Benedict at 5:30 p.m. and Augsburg playing at St. Mary's at 7:30 p.m.