Women's Basketball 1/3/09 -- St. Olaf 76, Augsburg 63
MINNEAPOLIS (1/3/09) -- Augsburg College's Serenae Levine (FY, Eden Prairie, Minn.) led all players with a career-high 23 points in a 76-63 loss to St. Olaf College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball contest at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall on Saturday afternoon.
Augsburg (2-6 overall, 0-5 MIAC) was able to pull within three off a pair of free throws by Shannon Renne (SO, Nicollet, Minn.) with 9:56 remaining in the game, but was not able to get any closer as St. Olaf (3-5 overall, 1-4 MIAC) shot 60.9 percent (14-of-23), including 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the three-point line, on its way to claiming its first MIAC victory of the season.
The Auggies had three players finish with 15 points or more. Levine led the way with 23, followed by Renne with a season-high 18 and Michelle Richter (SR, Chaska, Minn.) with 15. Renne also had a game-high seven rebounds and two steals, while Levine had two steals and five assists. Richter added six rebounds and three steals.
St. Olaf was led by the duo of Jamie Erdahl (SO, Bloomington, Minn./Breck HS) and Elyse Erickson (SR, Long Lake, Minn./Orono HS). Erdahl hit all 21 of her points in the second half, after the Augsburg defense held her scoreless on an 0-for-8 performance over the opening 20 minutes. Erickson chipped in 20 points in only 21 minutes of action, as the duo led the Oles to their second straight win.
The Auggies played well in the first half, as their defense forced 10 St. Olaf turnovers. A pair of free throws by Ashley Thoeny (JR, Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins HS) at the 6:40 mark tied things up for the fourth time of the afternoon. The Oles went on a 9-3 run to end the half and take a 31-25 lead into the locker room.
Augsburg kept it close over the first 10 minutes of the second half and was able to pull within five off a three-pointer by Renne with 6:29 left in the game. St. Olaf again found an answer to Augsburg's rally as the Oles went on an 11-0 run which the Auggies weren't able to come back from.
For the game, Augsburg shot 35.0 percent (21-of-60) from the field and forced 20 St. Olaf turnovers. The Oles shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60) from the field and forced 25 Augsburg turnovers. The difference in the game came down to points in the paint and points off turnovers. St. Olaf outscored Augsburg 36-12 in the paint and 28-9 in capitalizing off turnovers.
Augsburg will return to action on Monday (1/5), when it travels to Moorhead to take on Concordia-Moorhead in a men's and women's doubleheader. Women's action will begin at 5:45 p.m. and the men will tip off at 7:45 p.m.
