Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Not willing to back down from a challenge, the Augustana men's lacrosse team opened its 2015 season Saturday, traveling east to take on 17th-ranked Ohio Wesleyan. The Vikings suffered a 17-4 setback to the Battling Bishops at the Woody Hayes Sports Complex on the campus of the Ohio State University. Coach Kyle Hart's team will next be in action against Transylvania in Lexington, Kentucky on February 25.
 
Brendan Bouchard scored the game's first two goals and three of the first six as OWU jumped on top 6-0 nine minutes in. Bouchard also assisted on a goal by Tommy Minkler during the Bishops' quick start. Senior Colin Haley (St. Charles East HS, St. Charles, Ill.) got Augustana on the board with an unassisted goal at the 5:24 mark of the first quarter.
 
The first period ended with an 8-1 OWU lead. The Bishops scored all five second-period goals, including a shorthanded one by Minkler, to take a 13-1 lead at halftime.
 
Freshman Nick Zielinski (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) scored the Vikings' second goal at the 4:14 mark of the third quarter to make it 14-2, Ohio Wesleyan. Classmate John Danko (Lockport HS, Lockport, Ill.) assisted on Zielinski's tally, which came with a man advantage. Ohio Wesleyan led 15-2 after three periods.
 
The final two Augustana goals came late in the contest. Junior Scott Davis (St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Overland Park, Kan.) scored a power play goal off an assist from classmate Kevin Gleason (Loyola Academy, Chicago, Ill.) with 3:23 to play and junior Jonathan Bryk (Fremd HS, Palatine, Ill.) found the net with five seconds left.
 
Ohio Wesleyan outshot the Vikings by a 55-24 margin and put 28 of its shots on goal to a dozen for Augustana. John Umbach led OWU with four goals. Bouchard and Marcus Dietz added three each. Kyle Foster recorded a game-high three assists for the Bishops.
 
Junior Jack Peters (Maine South HS, Park Ridge, Ill.) and senior Cody Burgdorff (Peak to Peak Academy, Lafayette, Colo.) split time in goal for Hart. Peters recorded six saves in the first half and Burgdorff stopped five Battling Bishop shots in the second.
 
Peters and senior Taylor McGinnis (New Trier HS, Kenilworth, Ill.) led the Vikings with four ground balls each.