Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – North Central's Joey Faleni scored in the 32nd minute Wednesday to lead the Cardinals to a 1-0 win over Augustana at Thorson-Lucken Field. Both teams are now 9-5-1 on the year. North Central (2-2) moved ahead of the Vikings (1-2-1) in the CCIW standings.
 
Augustana's best opportunities came in the first nine minutes. In the fourth, junior Ian Deggendorf's (St. James Academy, Liberty, Mo.) header off an Adam Witucki (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) cross went just high. Then in the ninth minute, Michael Roth (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) headed a Witucki throw in, but North Central's Sebastian Garcia made the save to keep the match scoreless.
 
In the 32nd minute, Augustana failed to clear a Cardinal throw in from the left side and Faleni took advantage. As the ball bounced around directly in front of the Viking goal, Faleni got his right foot on it and beat Brett Johnson (Zion-Benton HS, Beach Park, Ill.) to the keepers' right side for the only goal of the match.
 
The Cardinals took the 1-0 lead to the locker room at the half. The visitors outshot Augustana by a 7-3 margin the first 45 minutes.
 
North Central's defense limited the Vikings' opportunities in the second half. The hosts' best chance to tie the contest came in the 87th minute, when Michael Brazinski's (Plainfield East HS, Plainfield, Ill.) blast from 20 yards hit the crossbar and Witucki's follow up was saved by Garcia. Dominick Sullivan's (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) shot in the 88th minute was Augustana's final attempt of the evening.
 
The Cardinals outshot the Vikings by a 12-8 margin, although Augustana led in shots on goal 4-3. Corners were even at three. Johnson was credited two saves and Garcia four.
 
Coach Brenton Joseph's side hosts North Park on Saturday, October 25 at 3:30 p.m. It will be Senior Day at Thorson-Lucken Field.