The Monmouth College women's basketball team lost a close contest 71-68 to Augustana College on Friday in the final game of December. The Scots are now 5-7 on the season and return to Midwest Conference play on Monday at home against Lawrence. 

Monmouth scored the first eight points of the game with field goals from Zoie Wall (Bartonville, Illinois), Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) and Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) plus a free throw by Tarae Warner (Burlington, Iowa). The lead ballooned to 11 at 16-5 when Audrey Law (Bloomington, Indiana) made a 3-pointer. Wall's 3-pointer put the Scots up 20-10 before the Vikings went on a 7-1 run. Monmouth finished the quarter with a pair of free throws and a 22-19 lead. 

Augustana started the second quarter with a 6-0 run before Wall made two free throws. The teams traded the lead back and forth over the next few possessions before Augustana went on top 32-28. They pushed the lead to eight before Jones hit a 3-pointer on the last possession of the half for a 36-31 Augustana lead at the break. 

The Vikings pushed the lead to nine right out of the gate in the third quarter before Lily Harlan (Washington, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer. Warner eventually cut the lead to 44-42 with 3:30 left in the quarter on a 3-pointer. Monmouth didn't make another field goal in the quarter and Augustana led 51-45 heading into the fourth. 

The visitors took their biggest lead of the game with a 5-0 run to start the fourth quarter and lead 56-45. Monmouth responded with a 13-0 run as Wall hit a pair of 3-pointers and Harlan tied the game with a 3-pointer of her own. Warner scored to put the Scots up 58-56, their first lead of the second half. Augustana hit a 3-pointer to regain the lead and pushed the lead to 63-58 with a 7-0 run. The Scots trailed by three and missed a game-tying shot with 40 seconds left. The Vikings split free throws but Monmouth turned it over. Down five, Wall hit a 3-pointer with nine seconds left but the Scots turned the ball over on the last possession, falling 71-68. 

Wall made four 3-pointers and led the Scots with 18 points. Harlan had 13 points while both Warner and Jones had 12 points. Jones led the Scots with nine rebounds, one more than Warner while Wall had six assists. 

Monmouth returns to MWC action next week with home games on Monday and Saturday. The Scots face Lawrence at 5 p.m. Monday and Beloit at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan, 7.