The Aurora University women's basketball team led for a majority of the contest in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference battle with Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans were forced to hold on late and withstood the Raiders, winning 53-48.


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 53, Milwaukee School of Engineering 48
LOCATION: Aurora, Illinois - Thornton Gymnasium
RECORDS: Aurora University 13-3 overall and 7-2 in the NACC; Milwaukee School of Engineering 10-4 overall and 7-2 NACC


- AU trailed for most of the first quarter but a lay-up from Elizabeth Griswold on a MSOE turnover tied the game 11-11 after 10 minutes of play.
- Early in the second, MSOE had a five point lead (17-12) when the Spartans began a run.
- The 16-2 Spartan run vaulted AU to a nine point lead (28-19) with 2:30 left in the first-half.
- Four Spartans combined in scoring in the run including a pair of three's, one each from Riley Doggett and Jennifer Heinberg.
- Heading to halftime, AU led 30-21.
- MSOE opened the third on an 8-0 run to cut the Spartan lead to one at 30-29.
- The Spartans then answered with a 9-0 run, three points each from Kylie Fischbach, Krystyna Manzanarez and Dani Antione.
- The Antione three-point play brought the home crowd to a frenzy with the and-one performance.
- Later in the third, Aurora Eklund drained a three to push AU's lead back to 10 (45-35).
- AU led after three, 46-37.
- Shots proved to be tough to come by in the fourth quarter for both teams but especially the home Spartans who would go 2-of-16 from the field.
- Despite the slow shooting from the Spartans, the AU defense picked up the pace and never allowed the lead to get closer than three.
- Manzanarez scored the final five points of the game for AU in the final 1:16, three coming from the free-throw line.
- The Spartans survived the late MSOE rally and won 53-48.


Points: Krystyna Manzanarez and Kylie Fischbach (15)
Assists: Kylie Fischbach (3)
Rebounds: Elizabeth Griswold and Riley Doggett (6)
Steals: Riley Doggett (3)
 

Next action for the Spartan women's basketball team comes on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 when they travel to Concordia University Chicago. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in River Forest, Illinois.