ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - Augustana scored twice in a span of less than five minutes midway through the first half Sunday and went on to defeat Bethel 4-0 at Thorson-Lucken Field. The win lifts Coach Scott Mejia's club to 2-0 on the young season, while the visiting Royals dropped to 1-1.
 
Bethel's best scoring opportunity came in the 20th minute when Britney Monteon got loose on a counter. Her blast hit the crossbar and the match remained scoreless.
 
The turning point came in the 25th minute when Royal keeper Kaylee Peterson came out of the box in an attempt to beat Viking Grace Sigler (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) to a loose ball. The players collided and when the dust cleared, Peterson was issued a red card, forcing her from the match and Bethel to compete a player down the rest of the way.
 
Awarded a free kick from approximately 20 yards straight on, Augustana took immediate advantage. Senior Abby Wendell's (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) boot cleared the Royals' wall and settled just inside the right post to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. The goal was the first of Wendell's collegiate career.
 
In the 29th minute, junior Lauren Muzzalupo (St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, Ill.) collected a loose ball and beat Bethel keeper Hannah Van Sickle for her first career goal. The Vikings took the 2-0 advantage to intermission.
 
Augustana extended its lead to 3-0 in the 60th minute. Freshman Marcela Arreguin (Beloit Memorial HS, Beloit, Wis.) delivered a beautiful pass ahead to Sigler. Van Sickle was able to get a piece of Sigler's shot, but sophomore Karissa Gottardo (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) was right there to follow up for her first collegiate goal. Both Arreguin and Sigler were credited with assists on the play.
 
The final goal came in the 69th minute. This time, it was junior Cora Jacobsen (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) with a pretty feed ahead to a streaking Natalie DeBartolomeis (Mullen HS, Lone Tree, Colo.) who found the back of the net to make it 4-0.
 
Bethel finished with a 14-10 edge in shots, but put just one on frame, on which Viking sophomore Sydney Ion (Aquinas HS, La Crosse, Wis.) recorded her only save. Ion has started the season by playing almost 196 consecutive scoreless minutes in goal. Corners were two to one in favor of Augustana. The guests committed nine fouls to five for the Vikings.
 
Mejia's bunch hits the road on Thursday, September 6 for a 4:30 p.m. match versus Cornell in Mount Vernon, Iowa.