SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Behind a second-half surge in scoring, Taylor Varsho ensured University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball of a win over cross-town rival Augustana, 67-59, on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars improve their program-best start to 12-1 overall with a 6-1 mark in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

Varsho finished with 18 points tolead all scorers while Alison Klostergaard sparked key runs for USF and totaled 11 in the contest as well as grabbing 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. The Cougars dished out 15 assists, paced by four from Madi Robson and three from Marie Malloy, and only committed 10 turnovers despite the Vikings (10-3, 4-3 NSIC) forcing a league-best 21.8 per game.

After a slow shooting start, the Cougars found a rhythm to close the first quarter. Marie Malloy converted a driving layup and Amber Paden worked for a layup to keep the Cougars close at 7-5 with less than four minutes in the quarter.

Augustana would hold a four-point lead with 3:32 to go and USF's defense held their cross-town rivals to two points the rest of the quarter. Teagan Molden and Alyson Johnsen took advantage of the Cougar defense with a 3-pointer each to finish the quarter, tied at 11-11.

Behind the aggressive Klostergaard, Sioux Falls took their first lead of the game in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Poking away a pass, Klostergaard converted the steal into an easy layup to put the Cougars up 13-11. On the next possession, Klostergaard grabbed an offensive rebound and rewarded her efforts with a 3-pointer from the corner.

Sinking two free throws, Klostergaard scored seven straight for USF and they would hold an 18-15 lead just two minutes into the second quarter. Augustana converted am and-one to tie the game at 18-18, but USF would close on a 14-6 run.

Paden's early post position was rewarded with two layups off Varsho and Klostergaard assists, putting the Cougars up four. Varsho raced down for a fast break layup and hit Sam Knecht on a long pass to break the press for a 28-21 lead. Varsho and Malloy capped off the quarter-closing run with fast break layups to put the Cougars up 32-24 at the break. Klostergaard's seven points led the Cougars while Paden and Varsho each entered halftime with six points.

Varsho quickly worked to expand the USF lead early in the third quarter, converting an and-one a minute into the second half. One possession later, Robson set up Johnsen with a 3-pointer for USF's first double-digit lead, 38-26. The Cougars then built their largest lead when freshman forward Jacey Huinker followed a fast-break miss to hit a layup and put the Cougars up 14.

Augustana's post players began to trim the USF lead, cutting it to eight points behind Paige Peterson's three buckets. However the Vikings would not get any closer for the remainder of the third quarter. Madi Robson hit a layup and two free throws, sandwiching a Knecht layup, to give USF a 48-38 lead entering the final quarter.

Amped up defense began to get through to the Cougars in the fourth quarter and USF's once-14 point lead was cut to one point at the midway mark of the fourth quarter. Augustana scored the first four points of the quarter, but Varsho finally connected from deep, hitting a three to continue her streak of 23 consecutive games with at least one three-point field goal, and keep USF ahead by nine.

Despite Varsho's big shot, the momentum still favored the home team Augustana. The Vikings scored the next eight points to cut the lead to one, 51-50. Much like starting the first half surge, Klostergaard stopped the second-half run by the visitors. The senior forward hit a layup to put USF back up by three.

Knecht followed with her own layup and USF was up five. Two Klostergaard free throws followed a pair of Augustana freebies and Knecht hit again down low to put USF up seven points. With quite possibly the game-clinching shot, Varsho connected on a deep 3-pointer with 1:55 left in the game, putting USF on top 62-52.

Augustana responded with two buckets, cutting the USF advantage to five points, but the Cougars would ice the game from the free throw line. Varsho hit three of four from the charity stripe and Robson sank both of her shots to bring the Cougars to the final score, 69-57.