Was over at Northwestern's Ericksen Center on this Tuesday evening to take in another early-season MIAC-UMAC clash between visiting Augsburg and host Northwestern. The host Eagles already had a big road win over a MIAC opponent this last Saturday night when they knocked off Carleton while the Auggies held off a strong challenge from St. Scholastica of the UMAC so it would be interesting to see which side would prevail in this one.
Predictably, Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl had his squad in its 2-3 "match-up" zone defense that Kahl loves to employ but that didn't seem to faze the Auggies; particularly senior point guard Maria Loughlin. The Rogers native knocked down one jumper from the right elbow at the 8:34 mark and then drained a "3" from the left corner at the 7:45 mark for a 5-2 Augsburg lead. Eagle junior guard Tiffany Stubbs connected on a lay-up in transition at the 6:17 mark that drew Northwestern closer trailing 5-4 but the Auggies would respond. Sophomore forward Hannah Steinhaus got a lay-up at the 5:55 mark and then Loughlin used her deft left-handed touch to coax another trey attempt down the chute from the right top area at the 5:01 mark for a 10-4 Augsburg lead. Then it was Loughlin again with 3:58 left as she knocked down a jumper from the left wing area that expanded the lead to 12-4. One free throw by senior forward Jessica Lillquist and a drive and jumper in the lane by fellow senior guard Allison McKee completed the 12-0 burst that upped the lead to 17-4. Senior post Regan Cooper's score in the paint with 1:12 left finally broke the Eagle drought but Augsburg was not yet done making its mark on this first period. Freshman guard Alaina Quaranta snuck through and snared a steal and dashed the other way for an easy lay-up with :28 left and then senior reserve guard Jenna Orth was able to maneuver inside for a score in the paint with just :01 left ending the first period with Augsburg comfortably up 21-8.
The Auggies looked to be off and running again early in the second period when freshman reserve forward Megan Quam connected with a short shot off the glass at the 9:42 mark but Northwestern was able to make a bit of a cut into the deficit. Senior forward Courtney Cunard's jumper from the right side at the 7:47 mark trimmed the Augsburg lead down to 23-10. Both teams went into a drought over the next four minutes before Stubbs finally dusted the cobwebs off the net with her "3" from the top of the key with 3:44 left that cut the Auggie lead down to ten at 23-13. A short shot in the lane by freshman reserve guard Taryn Tumbleson had the Eagles back to within single digits trailing 23-15 but then the pesky Quaranta gave Augsburg a bit of a boost. A score in the paint with 2:41 left and another steal and lay-up the other way with 1:31 left jacked the lead back up to double digits at 27-15 and Northwestern's Kahl; fearing having to face a huge halftime deficit, called a timeout to get his squad reorganized. The Eagles took their cue from the impromptu break just before the half and got the deficit slimmed down once again. Sophomore guard Amy Berglund got one charity stripe shot to fall after being fouled with :56.6 left and then Tumbleson was able to snare a steal in the backcourt and race coast-to-coast for a lay-up with :24 left that had things much more manageable again as Augsburg's lead was now only 27-19 going into the locker room at the half.
As much as this contest started in the Auggies favor, Northwestern was able to do the same when the third period started. An offensive rebound for a putback by Cooper at the 8:34 mark along with a Cooper freebie at the 6:59 mark cut Augsburg's lead down to five at 27-22. A "3" by Stubbs from the right wing at the 6:30 mark brought the house down as the Auggie lead was now down to a scant two points at 27-25. Two Berglund free throws at the 5:47 mark knotted things up at 27 before Augsburg found a bit of a reprieve when Loughlin uncorked a pretty "3" from the right wing at the 5:19 mark for a 30-27 advantage. But the Eagles were not to be deterred in this third period. Trailing 32-29 after Quam scored in the paint for Augsburg with 3:37 left, Berglund connected with a lay-up with 3:19 left and then sophomore reserve guard Jessica Cole got in on the act. The Altoona, Iowa native let loose with a "3" from the left wing area with 1:39 left that gave Northwestern it's first lead since the opening moments of the contest at 34-32. She then dropped two free throws after getting fouled with :48.1 left and then was able to snare a steal and connected with a jumper in the lane with :38 left for a 38-32 Eagle lead. Augsburg reserve sophomore forward Bridget Bednar's score in the paint cut Northwestern's lead down to 38-34 with :23 left but at the end of the third period, it seemed clear that the pendulum had swung unmistakably in the Eagles favor.
But the Auggies had other intentions in the fourth and decisive period. And so did Augsburg senior guard Ashley Anfinson who came with both barrels blazing. Back-to-back treys - one from the left corner at the 9:16 mark and another from the left wing at the 8:41 mark - had the Auggies back in front by a 40-38 score. Cole tried to reverse Northwestern's fortunes with her "3" from the top of the key at the 8:23 mark that had the Eagles ahead at 41-40 but the Eagles simply could not seem to find a way to get a grasp on Anfinson who uncorked yet another "3" - this one from the right wing at the 7:18 mark for a 43-41 Augsburg lead. Back-to-back scores by Steinhaus at the 6:21 and 5:46 marks increased the Auggie lead to 47-42 before a Tumbleson "3" at the 5:18 mark from the top off the glass had the Eagles back to within a single possession trailing 47-45. But it was at this point where Augsburg would shut the door for good on Northwestern's chances. One trey by the lefty Loughlin from the left corner with 4:51 left and another one by Anfinson from the right top area with 3:59 left - her fourth of the period alone - now had the Auggies up 53-45 and the Eagles were now in dire straits. Northwestern was able to close the gap to four points behind two Cooper freebies and a Cunard steal and lay-up the other way with 1:09 left but insurance free throws by Loughlin and Steinhaus gave Augsburg an important non-conference victory by a 58-51 margin.
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