ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Elmhurst women's basketball team's winning streak came to an end with an 85-82 double-overtime loss against Augustana.
Neither team led by more than six in a contest that included 15 ties and 19 lead changes.
Mikaela Eppard powered the Bluejays posting her 13th double-double of the season with 35 points and 11 rebounds, while
Kalia Summerlin added 21 points.
Eppard drilled a shot from distance to score Elmhurst's first bucket and finished the opening half with 21 of Elmhurst's 40 points. The Bluejays pulled ahead by four on a couple of occasions in the opening period, but Augustana scored the final four points of the quarter to tie the score at 21 after one.
An Eppard basket with 6:02 to go in the half extended the Bluejays' largest lead of the game at 33-28. Once again, the Vikings pushed back and led by two at the break after Kaycee Kallenberger beat the buzzer with a lay-up.
Augustana secured its largest lead of the game by scoring the first four points of the second half, but Summerlin and
Kaela Jones quickly erased it on a pair of three-pointers. Both teams struggled offensively in the third and the Vikings led by three heading to the final period.
Trailing by five with five minutes to play, Elmhurst made its push.
Hannah Henderson and Eppard both scored four points in an 8-2 run that put the Bluejays ahead with 2:06 to play. Eppard then knocked down a pair of free throws to put Elmhurst up by two with 35 seconds left. An Olivia Mayer layup tied the score at 66 and Summerlin's jumper at the buzzer was off the mark, sending the game into overtime.
Eppard started the first extra period off strong for the Bluejays, putting in a three-point play on Elmhurst's first possession. The visitors led by three on a pair of occasions and once again had the last shot with the game tied, but Kallenberger blocked Eppard to extend the game to a second overtime.
Most of the final five minutes was dominated by free throws, but Corrie Reiley's three-pointer with 2:11 to go broke a 77-77 tie and Elmhurst could not pull even again, dropping the game 85-82.
Eppard and Summerlin were the only two Bluejays to post double-digit points. Elmhurst outrebounded the Vikings 59-53 and posted better shooting percentages from the field, downtown, and the free-throw line, but turned the ball over 26 times in the loss.
Four Vikings finished in double figures with Kallenberger's double-double leading the way (16 points, 11 rebounds). Augustana posted 36 bench points and 18 points off of 26 forced turnovers.
The Bluejays travel to Wheaton College this Saturday, February 4th for a 5:00 p.m. start. Elmhurst currently sits in third place, just a half game back of the Thunder and Illinois Wesleyan for the top spot in the conference standings.
