VALLEY CITY, ND  (Ryan Cunningham, NewsDakota.com)  For the second consecutive Saturday, the Vikings used Concordia College to sweep an opponent.  The women avenged a loss in Omaha earlier this year, while the men earned their signature win in conference play by upending a first-place team in Bellevue University.

WOMEN:  VCSU 80, Bellevue University, 62

The Vikings avenged a loss in Omaha with a stout defensive effort and a three-point shooting barrage by Ellie Braaten to earn their fourth conference victory of the season.

Braaten hit five of six three-point shots, and she and Tiyana Schwinghammer hit back-to-back-to-back triples in the second quarter to break a 20-20 tie and forge ahead by 11 at the break.

The Viking defense forced 11 first-half turnovers, and 21 for the game.  The lead grew to 20 at 55-35 before slipping to as few as eight down the stretch.

Olivia Backus hit a pair of threes in the fourth quarter, and Abby Aslesen followed up her solid night against Dakota State with a pair of and-ones to widen the lead back to the finish.

Braaten and Schwinghammer each finished with 18 points.  Aslesen finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, a rebound away from back-to-back double-doubles on the weekend.  Aslesen had 13 points and 15 rebounds against Dakota State Friday.

MEN:  VCSU 85, Bellevue 81

The Vikings outrebounded Bellevue in the first half 25-15, 9-3 on the offensive glass.  But a shooting percentage of 38% would not allow them to take full advantage.  Leading scorer J. R. Cison finished the half with just three points.

But the Vikings found a way to stay tight in a blue-collar manner early.  Caden Grinde rotated in off the bench and hit four first-half field goals, to c0-lead at the break with eight points.

The second half belonged to Cison and freshman Joel Nelson.  Nelson hit four three-point shots after halftime, scoring 14 of his 19 after the break.  Meanwhile, Cison scored 17 of his game-high 20 after halftime.

The Vikings did not take their biggest lead until the final minute, leading 83-76, and held on after Liam Thompson hit a three with just seconds to go, cutting the lead to three.

The Viking women are now 7-13 overall, 4-12 in league play, while the men are 9-12, 5-11 in league play.  They play at the University of Providence and MSU-Northern next weekend.