CHICAGO, Ill. -- The St. Catherine basketball team opened the season at North Park University falling to the Vikings 68-56, Friday evening in Chicago. 

The Vikings jumped out to a seven-point after the first ten minutes. Junior Sarah LaVell had the game within one with 2:29 left in the quarter before North Park scored six unanswered points in less than a minute. 

North Park increased their lead to sixteen with just a minute left in the half before senior Brooke Torvik knocked down a three-pointer to end the half behind 13. 

St. Kate's outscored the Vikings in the third quarter 17-15 with ten points from the paint led by senior Katie Benjamin with five points along with senior Sam Orth and LaVell, each adding four. 

The game was back and forth again in the fourth quarter trading baskets with North Park. The nine-point quarter was not enough for the Wildcats to overcome the lead built by the Vikings in the first-half falling by 12. 

Orth led the way with 15 points, five rebounds, three steals, and one block. Benjamin added nine total with five rebounds and two blocks. Senior Mackenzie Kurczek and junior Bree Glynn each had seven rebounds scoring five and four points, respectively and LaVell added eight points. 

St. Kate's plays again in Chicago on Saturday at Illinois Institute of Technology with tip-off scheduled for 2 pm.