ROCK ISLAND, Ill.  – Senior Andria Serra (Alleman HS, Silvis, Ill.) scored twice in the first 16 minutes of the match Sunday as Augustana defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 3-1

at Thorson-Lucken Field.  Coach Scott Mejia's squad improved to 6-1 on the season, while the Prairie Wolves suffered just their second loss in seven matches this year.  

Serra gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. She outran an NWU defender to get to a long pass from sophomore Cameron Kekelik (Munster HS, Munster, Ind.), then beat both the defender and Prairie Wolf keeper Sarah Scholl for the match's first goal.

In the 16th minute, Serra scored her fourth goal of the season to make it 2-0. Sophomore Jenna Dvorak (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) fed her a pass from along the right end line. Scholl made the save on Serra's initial attempt, but couldn't recover in time to stop her follow up.
 
Augustana outshot NWU 8-5 in the first half and put seven of its tries on frame, but couldn't extend the advantage.
 
The Vikings made it 3-0 in the 70th minute when junior Anna Fank (Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Wheaton, Ill.)  headed in Abby Wendell's (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) perfectly placed corner from the left side. Just a minute earlier, Nebraska Wesleyan had dodged a bullet when backup keeper Leslie Borges made the save on Grace Sigler's (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) header—also off a Wendell corner.
 
The Prairie Wolves finally got on the board in the 88th minute. Suzie McDonald's long shot from the left side, just outside the box, bounded high off the crossbar, but Kaitlyn Sullivan was there to head in a point-blank follow up. Sophomore keeper Sydney Ion (Aquinas HS, La Crosse, Wis.) had left her feet in attempt to reach McDonald's shot and was unable to recover.
 
The hosts outshot NWU 13-11 for the match, putting 11 attempts on goal to five for the Prairie Wolves. Ion went the distance and made four saves. Scholl had five saves in the first half before being relieved by Borges, who finished with three. Augustana also had a 7-6 edge in corners. Five of NWU's came in a four-minute stretch late in the second half.
 
Mejia's side will open CCIW play on Saturday, September 22 at home against North Park. Kickoff at Thorson-Lucken Field is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.