WHEATON, Ill. – For the first time this season the Augustana women's tennis team tasted defeat, losing at Wheaton by a score of 6-3 on Saturday, October 17. It was the final dual match of the fall season for head coach Jon Miedema's Vikings as they fell to 12-1 overall and 6-1 in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. The Thunder is now 9-1 overall and 7-0 in league play.
 
Augustana jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles play and had a chance to be up 3-0 but the number three team lost a lead late in the match to allow Wheaton to salvage a point and gain some momentum heading into singles action.
 
The number one doubles team of senior Aileen MacDonald (Mundelein HS, Mundelein, Ill.) and junior Dana Goggin (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) defeated Julie Buursma and Katie Park 8-3. With the win MacDonald and Dana Goggin improved to 14-2 on the year.  At number two doubles junior Lauren Goggin (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Mollie Magee (Olathe East HS, Overland Park, Kan.) moved to 11-1 with a convincing 8-1 victory over Kirstie White and Emily Jones.
 
The freshman duo of Madeline Lombardi (Edwardsville HS, Glen Carbon, Ill.) and Caitlyn Schaffer (Kenwood Academy, Chicago, Ill.) lost a tough 9-8 decision to Miranda Kay and Erika Nelson. Lombardi and Schaffer are now 11-4 on the year.
 
The lone winner for the Vikings in singles play was MacDonald, who upped her record to 8-2 with a 6-3; 6-4 win over White at number four.
 
Lauren Goggin went three sets with Buursma at number one before falling 2-6; 7-6; 4-6 and she is now 11-4 this season. Dana Goggin dropped a 5-7; 4-6 match to Park at number two and is 11-2 this year. Magee, now 13-2, fell 4-6; 2-6 to Jones at number three.
 
The Thunder's Kay beat Schaeffer (13-3) by a score of 6-4; 6-2 at number five and Sara Magnuson of Wheaton defeated junior Vicki Andonova (Downers Grove South HS, Westmont, Ill.) 6-1; 6-0 at number six. Andonova is 8-2 this year.
 
The Vikings now head to the CCIW Tournament in Hanover Park, Illinois. The tournament will start on Thursday, October 22 and will continue through Saturday, October 24. Wheaton has won the last 10 CCIW tournaments although Augustana defeated the Thunder 5-4 last spring in the CCIW's Automatic Qualifying Tournament for the NCAA Division III berth.