ROCK ISLAND, Ill.  – Karissa Gottardo's (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) goal in the 32nd minute gave Augustana the lead Wednesday and the Vikings went on to a 3-0 win over

North Central at Thorson-Lucken Field. Coach Scott Mejia's club improved to 8-1-1 on the season and 1-0-1 in the CCIW, while the Cardinals fell to 4-6 overall and 0-2 in the league.
 
The hosts grabbed the lead in minute 32. Awarded a corner from the right side, Abby Wendell's (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) boot found Anna Fank (Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Wheaton, Ill.) in front of the net. Fank played the ball to Gottardo, who finished off the play for her third goal of the season. Fank was credited with an assist, as was Wendell—her team-leading fifth of the year.
 
Augustana took the 1-0 lead to intermission despite being outshot nine to five in the first half.
 
In the 55th minute, North Central was called for a foul in the box and senior Jordyn Sundberg (Aurora Central Catholic HS, Oswego, Ill.) placed her penalty kick perfectly in the lower right hand corner of the net, past a diving Gretchen Frantz. The goal was Sundberg's third of the season.
 
Grace Sigler's (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) unassisted goal, her second of the year, in the 62nd minute gave the Vikings a comfortable 3-0 advantage.
 
From there, Mejia's defense, including Fank, Wendell, Hannah Rossi (Downers Grove South HS, Woodridge, Ill.) and Sandra Camarillo (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.), along with keeper Sydney Ion (Aquinas HS, La Crosse, Wis.), made sure there was no Cardinal comeback.
 
Ion finished the night with seven saves while posting her third solo shutout of the year. Frantz recorded seven saves as well.
 
Augustana outshot its guests 16-14, putting 10 on frame to seven for North Central, and owned a 6-0 edge in corners.
 
The Vikings face another conference test on Saturday, when they travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin to take on Carroll in a 5:00 p.m. match.