SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Winona State University women's basketball team earned their second NSIC road win of the weekend, defeating Augustana University 53-44 in the Sanford Pentagon on Saturday, December 9.
Winona State parlayed strong first and fourth quarter offensive efforts in downing the Vikings, with
Hailey Markworth and
Alex Dornfeld delivering double-digit scoring efforts in the victory. WSU relied on a strong team defensive mindset as well, holding the home side to just a 25.8% field goal percentage mark in the contest.
Key Details: Winona State 53, Augustana 44
Attendance: 1,273
How It Happened
WSU opened the contest with an outstanding defensive effort, limiting Augustana to just two points nearly eight minutes into the first quarter. At the other end of the court, WSU saw
Emma Carpenter start strong, connecting on the first three Warrior buckets, followed by a three-pointer by
Alex Dornfeld. Back-to-back makes from
Kaitlyn Schrimpf and
Olivia Gamoke gave Winona State a 18-7 lead in the first 10 minutes of play.
The second quarter saw WSU's offensive output cool significantly, with Winona State notching just three points in the stanza. Fortunately, the Warriors maintained their defensive efforts, holding the Vikings to nine points in the same frame. A
Vivica Bretton 3-pointer accounted for the only Warrior score, but WSU held Augie off the scoreboard for nearly five minutes in the middle of the quarter to maintain their lead.
At The Half: Winona State 21, Augustana 16
After the break, the two teams traded buckets early on before
Hailey Markworth delivered a jumper at the 6:54 mark to give WSU a 27-21 lead. The second half of the third frame saw Winona State and Augustana swap the lead or be tied five times, setting up an entertaining fourth quarter, with WSU holding on to a one-point advantage at 36-35 with 30 minutes played.
In the fourth and final frame, WSU used a pair of made free throws by Markworth and successive layups from
Ava Sergio and
Alex Dornfeld put WSU on the front foot at a key point in the contest. Winona State built a seven-point lead when Markworth hit another two from the stripe and eventually earned a nine-point margin when
Emma Carpenter iced the game, making two free throws with 21 seconds left, resulting in a 53-44 Warrior win.
Warrior Stat Standouts
Hailey Markworth 12 points, 4-of-8 overall, 4-of-4 at the line, 4 rebounds
Alex Dornfeld, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 4-of-9 overall, 2-of-4 from 3-point territory
Emma Carpenter, 9 points, 4-of-5 at the line, 5 rebounds
Vanessa Alexander 7 rebounds, 4 points, 2-of-2 from the floor
Team Stat Comparables
WSU and Augie both claimed five steals in the game.
Winona State was 8-of-9 at the line, while the Augustana was just 4-of-6.
The Vikings shot just 25.8% from the floor; WSU hit at a 37.7% clip.
Winona State and Augustana saw seven lead changes in the contest.
Beyond the Boxscore
Winona State snapped a six-game skid against Augustana with the win.
The Winona State win was the first versus the Vikings in Sioux Falls since Dec. 6, 2019.
The nine-point margin of victory was the largest in a Warrior win over Augustana since a 69-59 WSU victory in 2016.
Up Next
Winona State (3-6, 3-2 NSIC) will look to build on their NSIC momentum this Thursday, December 14, hosting Minnesota State in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court. The Warriors and Mavericks will tip off at 7:30 p.m.
