Box Score

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Augustana took control in the second half and raced to a 13-7 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin women's lacrosse victory at North Central on Wednesday, April 20. The Vikings scored six unanswered goals midway through the second period to break open what had become a close game. With the win Augustana moved closer to clinching a second straight CCIW title.
 
In the first half second year head coach Meredith Newman's charges took command early, jumping out to a 4-0 lead before the game reached the 13-minute mark. Two goals by junior Anne Hopkins (Mother McAuley HS, Chicago, Ill.) and one each by junior Olivia Mayer (Libertyville HS, Green Oaks, Ill.) and senior Shelby Cosman (Marian Catholic HS, St. John, Ind.) made it 4-0 with 17:13 left in the first half.
 
North Central got its first goal at 16:31 when Kassie Whaling tallied but Hopkins came back with an unassisted goal to make it 5-1 at 16:31. The two teams went nearly 10 minutes before Whaling scored her second goal of the night to make it 5-2. The Vikings answered quickly with a goal by Cosman off an assist from Mayer at 6:48 to push the lead to 6-2 and senior Kendall Maduro (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) used a feed from senior Emily Handrahan (Lake Zurich HS, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) to tally at 1:12 and that made it 7-2 heading into intermission.
 
The second half didn't start so well for Augustana as the home-standing Cardinals scored four straight goals in the first five-plus minutes to narrow the gap to 7-6 after Gina Fisher scored with 24:50 left in the game.
 
Hopkins got the Vikings back on track with a goal off an assist by Quinn Foley (Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Ill.) at 21:29. That made it 8-6 and started a stretch of six straight goals that effectively broke the game open. Mayer tallied at 19:58 and senior Kaylee Nolan (Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Ill.) hit the net at 18:36. Hopkin used a Mayer assist at 11:40 to make it 11-6 and Foley scored off a feed from Nolan at 9:54. Maduro's unassisted goal at 9:14 ended the scoring for Augustana and made it 13-6.
 
North Central got a goal at 6:59 from Claire Norfleet to cut the advantage to 13-7 but the Vikings' defense held over the remainder of the game.
 
Hopkins led Augustana with five goals while Maduro, Cosman and Mayer each had two. Mayer also added three assists and Nolan recorded eight draw controls and three ground balls. The Vikings were successful on all 14 of their clear attempts and won 14 of 22 draw controls.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Analia Fowler (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) worked the first 35:10 of the game and had five saves and was given credit for the victory. Senior Jenna Hofmann (Columbine HS, Littleton, Colo.) came in a played the last 24:50 and recorded two saves.
 
Augustana will face Elmhurst on Saturday, April 23 at 1:00 p.m. at Thorson-Lucken Field.