Box Score MORRIS, Minn. – The University Minnesota Morris Cougars (2-4) lost a tough battle with the Valley City State Vikings (6-1) 60-53 on Tuesday night holding the #19 ranked NAIA team to just 33.9% shooting and just 7.1% shooting from behind the three point arc. Kayla Kramer led the way with a career high 16 points on 5-11 from the field. 
 
The Cougars jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to five points from Kramer, as the defense held VCSU scoreless in the opening 3:33. The Vikings responded by going on a run of their own, scoring the next eight points to take an 8-7 lead. Connor Lewis gave the lead back to the Cougars a minute later but VCSU responded quickly taking the 11-9 lead and extending that lead to 18-11 with 8:44 left in the first half. Minnesota Morris cut the lead to two with 7:04 left but Cougars could not get any closer and went into the halftime break trailing 31-25.
 
Out of the half time break the Vikings extended their lead to 39-29 and maintained in control of the game through the first 12 minutes of the second half. With the Cougars trailing 50-36 and 8:00 minutes left on the clock, the Cougars began to come back. UMM went on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to cut the lead to 52-49 after a pair of made free throws from Kelsey Erickson. Kramer had four points during the run and Erickson added five. It would be as close as the Cougars would get as the Vikings pulled away late winning 60-53.
 
Erickson finished with ten points on the night along with four rebounds. Emily Auch got the start and picked up nine points and five rebounds. Abby Fragodt filled up the stat sheet with 11 rebounds, four points, two assists, three blocks and three steals.
 
Minnesota Morris is back in action on Friday as they host Mayville State at 5:30 p.m.