Women's Basketball 1/17/09 -- Bethel 73, Augsburg 55

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (1/17/09) -- Augsburg College's Serenae Levine (FY, Eden Prairie, Minn.) tied a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season high-game mark by posting a career-high 11 assists, while also tying a game-high nine rebounds, but the Auggies dropped a 73-55 MIAC women's basketball game to Bethel University on Saturday afternoon at Bethel's Robertson Center.

Augsburg (2-11 overall, 0-10 MIAC) was led by a trio of players scoring in double figures. Shannon Renne (SO, Nicollet, Minn.) led the Auggies with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Lexi Thompson (FY, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) tied a season-high with 12 points, draining 2-of-3 from beyond the three-point arc, while chipping in two assists and one blocked shot. Michelle Richter (SR, Chaska, Minn.) rebounded well for the Auggies, tying a game-high nine rebounds, while posting 10 points and a game-high three steals.

Bethel (6-7 overall, 5-5 MIAC) was led by Taylor Sheley (FY, Backus, Minn./Pine River-Backus HS), who led all scorers with 14 points while chipping in five assists and four blocked shots. Annegret Nautsch (SR, Everett, Wash./Sioux Falls HS) continued her dominant shot blocking season, recording six blocked shots while adding 11 points and seven rebounds.

Bethel went on a 22-5 run to start the game, which proved to be too much for the Auggies overcome. Thompson hit a three-pointer with 38 seconds remaining in the first half to cut the Royal led to 15, as the teams would break at the intermission. A layup by Richter two minutes into the second half cut the lead to 13, but that was as close as the Auggies would get.

Augsburg shot 33.3 percent (24-for-72) for the game, while the Royals connected on 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the field. The Auggies forced 18 Bethel turnovers while only committing 16. The battle on the boards was nearly even, with Bethel claiming a 35-34 advantage. Free throws proved to be one of the major differences in the game, as the Auggies were only able to convert on 1-of-2, while the Royals converted on 14-of-20.

Augsburg returns to Si Melby Hall on Monday (1/19) at 5:45 p.m. when they take on St. Mary's University in MIAC action.