The Aurora University women's basketball team began Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play on Wednesday night with a match up against the Warriors of Wisconsin Lutheran College in Thorton Gymnasium. The Spartans would fall 71-56 in the contest.


FINAL SCORE: Wisconsin Lutheran College 71, Aurora University 56
LOCATION: Thorton Gymnasium - Aurora, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 5-2 overall and 0-1 NACC; Wisconsin Lutheran College 3-3 overall and 1-0 NACC


- Krystyna Manzanarez put an end to an 8-0 WLC scoring run to open the game after getting to the charity stripe with 5:15 to go in the first quarter.
- The Spartans would find themselves down 22-5 after one quarter of play. 
- AU came out a different team with more intensity in the second, as Riley Doggett scored the first points of the frame after a take to the basket.
- Doggett got the AU deficit back to single digits with 2:39 left in the second on another driving layup.
- The Spartans would trail 37-28 going into the halftime break despite out rebounding the Warriors 19-17 in the first half. 
- Doggett led the Spartan offense with nine points in the first 20 minutes, while Selena Vargas collected two steals in the first half.
- WLC opened the second half on a 7-0 run, before Vargas nailed one of two at the line to make it 45-29 with 5:50 to go in the third quarter
- Back-to-back baskets by Aurora Eklund later in the third put AU down 47-36.
- AU would trail the Warriors 59-44 after three quarters of play. 
- Kamryn Bullock nailed a three for the first basket of the fourth quarter, keeping AU within striking distance at 59-47 with 8:39 to go.
- The Spartans would get back within 12 with just over two minutes left after a Selena Vargas lay in, but that was as close AU would get in the 71-56 loss.


Points: Riley Doggett (11), Kylie Fischbach (8) and Selena Vargas (7)
Assists: Krystyna Manzanarez (3)
Rebounds: Krystyna Manzanarez (9), Kylie Fischbach (7) and Selena Vargas (6)
Steals: Riley Doggett (3) Krystyna Manzanarez, Selena Vargas and Kylie Fischbach (2)
Blocks: Kylie Fischbach (1)
 

Next action for the Spartan women's basketball team comes on Saturday, December 7 when they host Marian University. Tip-off set for 1:00 p.m. In Thornton Gymnasium.