Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana wrapped up the regular season Saturday at Thorson-Lucken Field, dropping a 12-11 Senior Day heartbreaker to Elmhurst. The Vikings fell to 8-7 on the year and 3-3 in the CCIW, while the Bluejays improved to 13-2 overall and 5-1 in the league. Coach Dan Torie's squad will be the fourth seed when conference tournament play begins on Wednesday, May 2. Augustana will face top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan in a semifinal in Bloomington, Illinois.
 
Freshman Trever Moore (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) scored off an assist from classmate Shane Forsythe (Maine South HS, Park Ridge, Ill.) with 50 seconds left to pull the Vikings to within 12-11. Junior Jason Van Dyck (Crystal Lake South HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) controlled the ensuing faceoff and Torie called timeout with 29 seconds remaining.
 
Coming out of the break with his team up a man, Forsythe had a chance to tie it with less than 10 seconds remaining, but his shot hit the side of the net. Elmhurst goalie Jacob Delgado recovered it and the Bluejays were able to run out the clock.
 
The visitors jumped in front with the game's first three goals. Cullen Nordemann assisted on tallies by Dan O'Connell and Marcuus Yandall before Trent Nyberg's goal made it 3-0 with 7:18 remaining in the first quarter.
 
Senior Nick Zielinski (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) was the spark as Augustana answered with three straight goals. Zieleinski caused a Bluejay turnover deep in Viking territory and fired a pass to freshman Joey Kreis (Mundelein HS, Mundelein, Ill.), alone at the other end. Kreis' point-blank shot beat Delgado to get the hosts on the board. Moore added two goals, with his second tying it at 3-3 with 34 seconds left in the quarter. However, Jake Heil answered for Elmhurst 15 seconds later and the Bluejays led 4-3 after one.
 
Zielinski's goal with 3:32 left in the half tied it at 5-5, but Carter Meyer won the ensuing faceoff, raced straight up the field and scored in seven seconds to give Elmhurst the lead. Mac Harden added a score with 2:34 left and the Bluejays led 7-5 at the break.
 
Senior John Danko (Lockport HS, Lockport, Ill.) and Lee Whorwell (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) scored in the first four minutes of the third period to tie it at seven, but O'Connell's goal with 38 seconds on the clock put Elmhurst up 8-7 after three. After goals by junior Erick Krall (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) and Whorwell tied the score at nine and 10-all, respectively, Trent Nyberg scored twice in the final five minutes to give the Bluejays a two-goal advantage.
 
Whorwell and Moore each finished with three goals and an assist. Zielinski added two goals and a helper. Van Dyck won nine of 13 faceoffs and led Augustana with seven ground balls. Junior Brian Hinsberger (Lake Zurich HS, Lake Zurich, Ill.) caused three turnovers. Senior Jake Ellis (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) recorded 10 saves in goal.
 
The Vikings outshot their guests 39-31, had a 33-24 edge in ground balls and committed just eight turnovers to 14 for Elmhurst. The Bluejays benefited from Augustana penalties, converting four of eight man-up opportunities, while the hosts were just one of five on the power play.
 
In addition to Zielinski, Danko and Ellis, Vikings seniors honored on Saturday included Hayden Holland (Owatonna HS, Owatonna, Minn.), McKay Potter (Hudson HS, Hudson, Wis.), Cameron MacKenzie (St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, Ill) and Zachary Carlson (Shakopee HS, Shakopee, Minn.).