Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Sophomore Anna Fank (Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Wheaton, Ill.) scored in the 84th minute Saturday to lift Augustana to a 1-0 win over Millikin on Senior Day at Thorson-Lucken Field. The victory moved the Vikings to 8-6-1 on the season and 3-2-1 in CCIW play. The Big Blue fell to 7-8-1 overall and 0-5-1 in the conference.
 
Coach Scott Mejia's team honored seniors Bailey Bradford (Deerfield HS, Riverwoods, Ill.), Sammi Farkos (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Flossmoor, Ill), Mady Huber (Legacy HS, Broomfield, Colo.), Grace Iaquinta (Lincoln East HS, Lincoln, Ill.) and Anna Tegge (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) before the match.
 
Millikin had a south wind at its back during the first half and tested Bradford with numerous attempts from long distance. The Augustana keeper turned away a pair of tries by Big Blue scoring leader Lucy Koger in the first 15 minutes, as well as a Katelyn Rukujzo shot in the 26th.
 
As the period progressed, the Vikings began to assert themselves using a more patient attack. After being outshot 7-1 in the first 27 minutes, the hosts took the final seven shots of the half and put five on frame. However, Millikin's Anna Benvenuto was up to the task and the sides went to halftime scoreless.
 
Taking advantage of the wind in the second half, Augustana upped the pressure. With Fank bumped from the back line up front, the Vikings put together several excellent scoring opportunities. Benvenuto stopped seven shots in the half before Mejia's crew finally broke through in minute 84.
 
Fank collected a pass from junior Karleen Gomez (Grayslake Central HS, Hainesville, Ill.) and let go a blast from about 15 yards out on the left side. Her shot found the upper right corner of the goal and Augustana had a 1-0 lead which held up over the final six minutes. The goal was Fank's third of the season and Gomez picked up her first assist.
 
The Vikings finished with a 23-16 advantage in shots, putting 14 on frame to nine for the Big Blue. Augustana took 14 corners in the match to three for Millikin.
 
Bradford celebrated Senior Day with a nine-save shutout and improved to 5-1 on the year. Benvenuto recorded 13 saves in a tough-luck loss.
 
On Tuesday, October 24, Mejia's bunch will be in action in Bloomington, Illinois, taking on 17th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan at 7:00 p.m.