GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Valley City State could not overcome a slow start in a 77-66 loss to the University of Providence in Frontier Conference Women's basketball in Great Falls, Montana.

The Vikings are 7-14 overall and 4-13 in the Frontier Conference. The Argos are 14-9 overall and 10-7 in the conference.

The Argos jumped out to a seventeen-point lead in the first quarter. While the Vikings found a lid on the basket, Providence was making their shots. The Argos scored the first 13 points of the game. The Vikings got on the scoreboard on a Tiyana Schwinghammer free throw. Madison Spacher made the first field goal with a driving layup to make it 15-3 Argos. The scored was 23-6 after one quarter.

The Vikings started to find their rhythm in the second quarter. A 6-1 run by VCSU cut the lead to twelve. A three-pointer by Schwinghammer made it 24-12 Providence with 6:33 to go in the second quarter. The Vikings got the lead down to eleven at 32-21 with a minute to go in the half. VCSU outscored the Argos 17-14 in the quarter to trail 37-23 at halftime.

The third quarter was back and forth as both teams scored 21 points in the quarter. The Vikings would get the lead down to ten twice in the quarter. Two free throws by Schwinghammer made it 44-34 Argos with 6:32 to go in the quarter. Abby Aslesen scored inside to make it 46-36 with 5:22 to go in the quarter. Providence led 58-44 heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Providence used an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 20 points. A three-point play by Brooke Dial made it 71-51 Argos with 4:28 to go in the fourth quarter. The Vikings ended the game on a 15-6 run, but it was too little too late as Providence won 77-66.

UP NEXT: The Vikings continue their Montana trip with a meeting at Montana State-Northern on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. MT/6:00 p.m. CT.