Box Score ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - An inability to get a key defensive stop late in the game contributed to the Elmhurst College women's basketball team's 68-57 loss at Augustana College.

The loss was the Bluejays' third straight, and fifth in the last seven games. Elmhurst (16-7, 7-7 CCIW) is now tied with Millikin University for the fourth and final spot in the CCIW Tournament.

Trailing by four with five minutes left to play, Elmhurst misfired on two straight offensive possessions, keeping Augustana's (11-12, 3-9 CCIW) lead at four. A pair of free throw from Whitney Miller gave the Vikings a six-point cushion with 3:30 remaining.

Elmhurst quickly cut the lead down to four on a Tess Godhardt jumper, but Miller answered right back with a bucket, giving the Vikings a six-point advantage with 2:50 left.

Godhardt hit a lay-up to bring Elmhurst to within four again, but Natalie Runge knocked down a jumper with 2:16 left. Devin Vaughn's runner in the lane pulled Elmhurst to within four points for the third straight time, but Abbi Staples buried a three-pointer from the top of the key to give the Vikings a 60-53 lead with 1:30 remaining.

A pair of Meghan Merklein free throws brought the Bluejays to within five points with less than a minute to play, but the Vikings converted all eight of their attempts from the free throw line in the closing seconds to pull away for the 11-point victory.

Elmhurst outshot the Vikings 41.4 percent (24-of-59) to 39.6 percent (21-of-53). The Bluejays hit just 1-of-7 (14.3 percent) from downtown while Augustana shot 4-of-10 (40.0 percent). The Vikings were solid from the charity stripe, shooting 91.7 percent (22-of-24).

Meghan Merklein led Elmhurst in the loss with 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Godhardt chipped in with 16 points and three steals. Meghan Fitts came off the bench to score seven.

Natalie Runge led the Vikings with 24 points, hitting 7-of-16 from the floor and 10-of-10 from the foul line. Molly Etheridge came off the bench to score 15 and collect eight rebounds while Staples finished with 12 points. Augustana's bench outscored Elmhurst's bench 32-13.

The Bluejays host Carthage College on Wednesday, February 15. The Bluejays will need a win in one of their two final games and a loss by Millikin to Illinois Wesleyan University to secure a spot in the CCIW Tournament.