Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Kristin Rauh's header in the seventh minute of overtime provided the margin of victory Wednesday, as Wheaton knocked off Augustana 2-1 at Thorson-Lucken Field. The Thunder's CCIW Tournament semifinal win avenged an overtime loss to the Vikings by the same score just a week ago. Wheaton moves on to the tournament championship game with a 14-6 mark. Coach Scott Mejia's Augustana squad, now 15-4-1, awaits Sunday's NCAA Division III Tournament pairings for a possible at-large bid.
 
The second meeting between the two sides played out much like the first. The victors in each fell behind 1-0, got the equalizer mid-way through the second half and the game winner mid-way through the first overtime.
 
The Thunder outshot their hosts 6-1 in the first half. Wheaton's best opportunity came in the 43rd minute, when Hannah Hodge's point-blank attempt hit the left upright and bounded into the hands of Viking keeper Meredith Chew (Paradise Valley HS, Phoenix, Ariz.). The teams went to intermission in a scoreless tie.
 
Augustana's Jessa Rizzo (Fremd HS, Palatine, Ill.) gave her team a 1-0 lead in the 67th minute. After collecting a pass from sophomore Grace Iaquinta (Lincoln East HS, Lincoln, Neb.), Rizzo chipped a shot over the head of Wheaton keeper Mary Daghfal and into the net. It was the junior's fifth goal of the season.
 
The advantage lasted just five minutes, until Wheaton's Sydney Sharkey made a run along the right side. She fired a cross that Chew couldn't handle cleanly and Rauh was there for the follow up and a 1-1 tie. That's the way regulation would end. The only shot over the final 18 minutes was a blast by Viking Hannah Lohmeier (Waunakee HS, Waunakee, Wis.) in the 76th minute that went wide left.
 
Just over six minutes into the first overtime Rauh's header ended the match. Ally Witt was credited with the assist. The goal was Rauh's 13th of the season and she had all three of the Thunder's tallies in the two matches with Augustana.
 
Chew finished with five saves, while Daghfal recorded a pair.
 
Wheaton held advantages of 10-6 in shots and 9-7 in corners.