Box Score

AURORA, Ill. – A 14-minute stretch in the middle of the match between Augustana and Aurora proved fatal for the Vikings Sunday. The hosts found the back of the net three times from the 37th to 51st minutes and Coach Mick Regan's bunch could never recover, falling 5-2 at Vago Field. Augustana dropped to 0-2 on the year, while the Spartans evened their record at 1-1.
 
Each team got off five shots in the first in the first 35 minutes, but just one—by Augustana freshman John Lynch (Metea Valley HS, Aurora, Ill.)—was put on frame. Aurora keeper Zach McFarland came through with the save on Lynch's attempt in the 33rd minute.
 
The Spartans' first shot on goal came off the foot of Luis Flores in the 37th minute. Sophomore keeper Corey Mankins (Marysville HS, Marysville, Ohio) made the save, but Ben Edith was there to follow up and give Aurora a 1-0 lead. That would remain the score as the sides headed to halftime.
 
It took just 37 seconds of second-half play for the Edith and Flores combination to put the hosts up 2-0. This time, it was Edith feeding Flores, who finished the play off with his first goal of the season. In the 51st minute, Edith took a feed from Christian Duarte and tallied his third goal of the season to make it 3-0.
 
The Vikings narrowed the deficit to 3-1 in the 61st minute on a long-range goal by freshman Michael Peters (St. Charles East HS, St. Charles, Ill.), his second of the season. However, it took the Spartans less than five minutes to answer. Alberto Bustamante scored his first of the year with an assist from Xavier Ortiz.
 
The match's final two goals came in the 75th and 77th minutes. Augustana senior Michael Brazinski (Plainfield East HS, Plainfield, Ill.) took a feed from freshman Danny Cole (University HS, Heyworth, Ill.) and put a long shot past McFarland to draw the Vikings within two, but Collin Foreman responded for Aurora, parlaying an Edgar Soto assist into his first goal of the season to account for the final.
 
The hosts held a 20-8 advantage in shots, including 12-3 in the second half. They also had an 8-4 edge in shots on goal and got off seven corners to four for Augustana. Mankins was credited with three saves and McFarland a pair.
 
The Vikings will play their third straight match on the road on Wednesday, September 7. They'll travel to Pella, Iowa to take on the Central Dutch in a 3:00 p.m. contest.