MANKATO, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran women's basketball team tipped off their season on Wednesday night, dropping a nonconference contest to Augsburg 76-69. With the loss the Vikings begin the season 0-1 while the Auggies move to 1-0.

Both teams got out of the gates quickly in this one, trading baskets in the early going with an Aubrea Kor three-pointer knotting things up at 14 apiece just over midway through the quarter. Just over three minutes later, Abby Skorenkyi would find an opening inside and knock down a layup off a great pass from Alba Fernandez as the Vikings took a 20-16 lead with 1:37 to play in the first.

Unfortunately for Bethany, the offense hit a cold spell from that point forward in the half. Over the final 11:37 of the first half, the Vikings were outscored 20-2 as Augsburg took a 36-22 lead into the break.

Gianna Klarenbeek got the Vikings out of their rut just eight seconds into the second half, as she weaved her way through the Auggie defense for a tough basket to end the run and bring the score to 36-24. The visitors would continue to apply the pressure though, maintaining their lead and eventually building upon it to extend it to 18 points with just 1:16 remaining in the third. The Vikings would close the quarter on a 7-1 run though, as Lexiss Trygg would knock down a pair of shots in the paint and Klarenbeek would bury a three pointer as the Auggies held a 58-46 lead headed to the fourth.

Klarenbeek continued her impressive first career game to start the fourth, knocking down a three before a Kaylee Hunter layup cut the deficit to seven points. Augsburg would answer however, using a 12-2 run to re-extend their lead to 17 points just over midway through the final frame. Still trailing by 17 with just over two minutes to play, the Vikings would use eight straight points to cut the deficit to nine with under 40 seconds remaining but the Auggies would eventually escape with a 76-69 win.

Klarenbeek played just 23 minutes in the contest due to foul trouble, but led Bethany with 15 points including 3-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Fellow freshman Kor also had a great game, posting 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting to go along with three rebounds, two blocks, and three steals. Trygg gave the Vikings a spark off the bench in the game, as she posted a 6-of-10 shooting night for 14 points to add along to five rebounds.

Bethany had a strong defensive effort in the halfcourt despite allowing 76 points, as they held Augsburg to just 37.1 percent shooting from the field, but the visitors managed 18 rebounds to held secure extra possessions.

The Vikings will now be back in action on Friday night when they travel to Wheaton and will take on the Thunder at 7 p.m.