ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana used a pair of second half goals to defeat Illinois Wesleyan 2-0 Wednesday at Thorson-Lucken Field in a match between teams ranked the in

the NCAA Division III Central Region. Coach Scott Mejia's Vikings—ranked eighth in Tuesday's Central Region poll—improved to 10-2-3 on the year and 3-1-2 in the CCIW, while the fifth-ranked Titans dropped to 10-3-1 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
 
Augustana used a familiar weapon—an Abby Wendell (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) corner kick—to get on the board in the 58th minute. Wendell put her boot from the left side right in front of the goal, where sophomore Karissa Gottardo (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) headed it past IWU keeper Kelli McCarthy to make it 1-0. Wendell earned her team-leading seventh assist on the play, while the goal was Gottardo's fifth of the season.
 
The hosts added an insurance goal in the 71st minute, when a beautiful pass from sophomore Grace Sigler (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) found a streaking Lauren Muzzalupo (St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, Ill.). McCarthy came out of the net to challenge, but Muzzalupo put her shot past and her and just inside the right post for her sixth goal of the year. Sigler was credited with her fourth assist.
 
Augustana missed an opportunity to put some icing on the cake in the final minute, when—after a Titan hand ball in the box—senior Jordyn Sundberg (Aurora Central Catholic HS, Oswego, Ill.) punched her penalty kick over the crossbar.
 
Neither side mounted much of a challenge in a scoreless first half. IWU had an 8-3 advantage in shots, but just 3-2 in shots on goal. The Titans' best opportunity came in minute 22, when they had consecutive corners from the right side. However, they couldn't capitalize.
 
For the match, IWU put six of its 15 shots on frame, compared to five of eight for the Vikings. Sophomore Sydney Ion (Aquinas HS, La Crosse, Wis.) posted six saves for Augustana, while McCarthy recorded three for the visitors. Wendell and juniors Anna Fank (Wheaton Warrenville South HS) and Hannah Rossi (Downers Grove South HS, Woodridge, Ill.) spearheaded the defensive effort in front of Ion.
 
The Titans led in corners 4-3 and each side was whistled for eight fouls. IWU was issued three of the four cautions in the match.
 
The Vikings will get another ranked opponent on Saturday, October 20, when they visit Elmhurst for an 8:00 p.m. match. The Bluejays, 9-3-1 overall and 4-2 in the CCIW,  were sixth in the most recent Central Region poll.