DECATUR, Ill. – The No. 2 seeded Carroll University women's basketball team saw it's Championship hopes come to an end on Friday night, falling to the No. 3 seed Augustana Vikings 64-69. Olivia Rangel led Carroll with 11 points.
 
The Pioneers (17-9) fall for the third-straight season in the CCIW tournament semifinals. Carroll was outshot 44% to 42% from the field, but held a 33-32 rebound advantage. The Vikings put away Carroll by making 10 of 11 free throws while the Pioneers netted just nine of 14. Carroll gained 28 points from the bench, thanks in large part to Emilie Wizner and Lauren Soyke combining for 18 points.
 
Carroll began the game down 7-0 forcing a timeout from the bench. Katie Evans was the first Pioneer on the board as Carroll began their comeback. The Pios were down as much as eight points with 5:03 left in the first, and went into the second quarter down seven. Wizner led Carroll with five points in the first quarter. Carroll climbed back on a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to one, but Augie jumped back up by eight moments later. Carroll took its first lead on an Evans three-pointer that Rangel helped extend a minute later. Augie closed the first half with a one-point lead, despite six first half points from Rangel.
 
Evans scored two baskets inside the first two minutes and gave Carroll the lead back with 7:33 on the clock. Augie re-gained their lead but Carroll took a four-point lead at the end of the quarter, after Brooke Foster and Rangel scored in the final minute. Soyke hit a jump shot to push Carroll up six points to open the fourth quarter, and Foster's three-pointer gave Carroll its largest lead of the game with 6:47 left to play. The Vikings mounted a comeback and cut Carroll's lead down to two with 3:24 remaining. The Pioneers only made one field goal in the final three minutes in regulation, as the Vikings knocked down three shots and hit 4-4 free throws.