WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Carroll University women's basketball team pulled out a closely played victory against the Augustana Vikings on Saturday afternoon, in a 78-73 victory. Olivia Rangel scored her number, dropping 23 points on 8-15 shooting with six made free throws. Brooke Foster knocked down three three-pointers and Natalie Palzkill pulled in 10 rebounds.
 
The Pioneers (16-7, 11-3 CCIW) came back from down 14 points late in the first quarter and led by as much as 16 in the fourth. Carroll made just under 53% of their shots and 30% of their three-pointers but struggled at the free throw line making just 17 of 30 chances. The defense pulled together after the Vikings shot 77% from the field and 5-6 from three in the first 10 minutes. The Pioneers clung to the offensive gals, pulling in 13 offensive rebounds but only had eight second-chance points. The Pio bench was paced by Lauren Soyke's nine points.
 
The Vikings took control of the game from the jump, as Macy Beinborn, who scored 37 points for Augustana, knocked down a triple to start the game. The Vikings took an 11-4 lead to force a Carroll timeout around the five-minute mark. Soyke's first basket of the game helped the Pios cut into the lead, but the Vikings went on a 12-3 run that ran their lead up to 14 with 1:15 left in the first quarter. Carroll got the lead back into the single-digits in the second quarter thanks to free throws from Rangel. Allison Thompson helped get the lead down to four, and Katie Rohner cashed in a three-pointer to respond to Augie's attempts to extend their lead. Foster tied the game after a Soyke offensive rebound with 4:15 left in the first half. The Vikings responded by pushing the Pioneers into foul trouble and taking free throws to take a 41-34 lead into the break.
 
Carroll's best quarter was the third, outscoring the Vikings 25-11. Rangel took over, scoring six straight points for the Pioneers, followed up by a Foster and one-play, cutting Carroll's deficit down to just three. Rohner scored her own three-point play and converted the free throw to tie the game 47-47. Foster gave Carroll its first lead of the game with her third three-pointer made with 2:54 left in the third. Soyke made four free throws and the Pioneers led by seven going into the fourth quarter. Rangel scored point number 22 to give Carroll a 16-point lead with 6:51 left in the game but the Vikings would not go down without a fight. The Vikings brought the game to five with under a minute to play and forced Rangel to foul out of the game. On the next possession, Palzkill drew a foul on Beinborn, forcing her out with her fifth foul too. Palzkill iced the game with 33 seconds left with a free throw and grabbed the game-winning rebound with 14 seconds left.
 
The Pioneers will host Wheaton on Wednesday, February 15 at 7 PM. The Pios took down the Thunder on the road earlier this season.