By: By Kelly Shipp

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - They say it's tough to beat a team three times in one season, and in the game that mattered most the Augustana women's basketball team (24-7) found a way to upset the No. 1 seed in the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament Winona State 85-84 in overtime to advance to the conference championship game.

After a night that saw the Vikings trail for over 26 minutes, it was the final seconds of regulations that proved to be the most important and swing the game in favor of the Vikings. With just 56 seconds left on the clock and the game tied a 74, senior Sophie Kenney stood at the top of arc and took a wide open three that found the iron and seemed to fall right to Winona State but sophomore guard Presley O'Farrell outworked all five Warriors to come up with the game's most crucial rebound, allowing head coach Dave Krauth to call timeout. Out of the timeout Kenney would get a layup to give the Vikings a 76-74 lead before Winona State's Kayla Timmerman hit a jumper to send the game to overtime.

Winona State (29-3) would open the extra period with a three from senior Connor Nagle, but just like the night before it was free throws from Sophie Kenney that cut the deficit to one. Kenney would then give the Viking the lead 80-79 on an uncontested layup but in a sequence that saw each trade baskets on four straight possessions the Warriors would take the lead at 84-83 with just 10 seconds on the clock after a Viking timeout.

Out of the timeout Kenney began to size up Nagle. Moving to her left she took a couple dribbles, crossed over, stepped back and put the ball in the air. With the clock ticking down the ball found only nylon, and the Vikings had the lead 85-84. Winona State called timeout to advance the ball and set up a play but it wasn't enough as Alexis Foley's last second shot found only iron giving the the Vikings the victory!

VIKING OF NOTE
Junior Sydney Rome was outstanding in the Vikings win over Winona State, hitting a clutch three in the fourth quarter to get the Viking within four and then another clutch three in overtime to give the Vikings an 83-82 lead. Rome was second on the team in scoring with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting. She was 4-of-7 from behind the arc. She added three assists, a steal and a rebound to her great night.

VIKING QUICK HITS
• Sophie Kenney has made 16 consecutive free throws after going 4-for-4 against Winona State
• In the third match-up of the season the Vikings avenged their two other losses to the Warriors
• The win snaps Winona State's 13-game winning streak
• The Vikings shot 50 percent in the fourth quarter
• Augustana outscored the Warriors in each of the final two quarters plus overtime
• Kenney scored just three points in the first half but ended the game with 17
• Nicole Kerkhoff led the Vikings in scoring with 21 points
• Three Vikings scored in double-figures: Kerkhoff (21), Rome (18) and Kenney (17)
• The Viking defense was in full force against the Warriors. Winona State's three leading scorers scored 63 points but the Viking defense didn't allow anyone else to hurt them. They held the rest of the Warrior team to just 21-points
• Winona State shot 50 percent in the first half but Augustana held them to just 35 percent in the second half
• This will be the second time that Augustana will play for an NSIC Tournament Championship. They won the title in 2013 defeating Minnesota State 81-73

UP NEXT
Augustana will compete in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Championship tomorrow night against the University of Sioux Falls. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.