Women's Basketball 11/30/05 -- Augsburg 85, St. Olaf 81

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (11/30/05) -- Katie LaGrave (So., Okinawa, Japan/Kadena HS), Rachel Cherry (Sr., Rosemount, Minn.) and Rosinta Stromquist (Sr., Brooklyn Park, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) scored 17 points apiece, as Augsburg College claimed an 85-81 victory over visiting St. Olaf College a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game Wednesday night at Si Melby Hall.

All five Auggie starters scored in double figures, as Alissa Blood (Jr., Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points, and Kristina Lurken (So., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) had 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

LaGrave contributed six assists, five steals and five rebounds, while Blood had five rebounds and Stromquist had six rebounds and two assists. Brietta Schluender (Fr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) had four points and seven rebounds.

Augsburg is now 3-1 overall, 1-0 in MIAC play, while St. Olaf is now 2-3 overall, 0-1 in MIAC play.

The Oles had four starters score in double figures, led by Christine Schwichtenberg (Sr., Hopkins, Minn.) with 19 points, five assists and three steals, connecting on three 3-pointers. Christina Sampson (Jr., North Branch, Minn.) scored 17 points, hitting five 3-pointers, while contributing nine rebounds and four assists. Kristina Stoermer (So., Wayzata, Minn.) had 15 points and five rebounds, while Holly Grimsrud (Jr., Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS) had 13 points, hitting three 3-pointers, while adding five assists.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with 15 lead changes and nine ties. Augsburg led by nine points, 35-26, with 5:19 left in the first half, but St. Olaf rallied to tie the game at 43-43 at halftime. St. Olaf led 61-57 with 10:08 left in the second half, but Augsburg took back the lead with a 16-5 run over the next eight minutes, taking a 73-66 lead with 2:38 left. The lead did not shrink under four points the rest of the way.

Augsburg connected on 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the field and hit seven 3-pointers, while also connecting on 22-of-30 (73.3 percent) at the free-throw line. Augsburg outrebounded St. Olaf by a 45-39 margin. St. Olaf hit 42.9 percent (30-of-70) from the field and added 11 three-pointers, while hitting 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) from the free-throw line.

Both teams return to action on Saturday (11/3) at 1 p.m., Augsburg hosting St. Mary's and St. Olaf playing at St. Benedict.