LA CROSSE, Wis.—Augustana scored five of the last six goals Saturday to come from behind for an 11-9 win over Wisconsin-La Crosse at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The Vikings improved to 2-3 on the season, while the Eagles dropped to 1-5. Augustana athletics now heads into a hiatus of at least two weeks due to COVID-19 concerns. A determination about the reminder of the spring sports seasons will be made at a later date.
 
La Crosse broke a 6-6 halftime tie with the first two goals of the second half. Valerie Johnson scored off an assist from Abigail Steigauf to give the Eagles the lead with 25:30 to play and Gabriella Storin scored with UWL a player up less than two minutes later to make it 8-6.
 
The Vikings took advantage of their own power play when Sandra Pielechaty (Taft HS, Chicago, Ill.) scored on a free-position attempt at the 21:29 mark and freshman Cassidy Petrie (Naperville North HS, Naperville, Ill.) tallied the equalizer less than a minute later.
 
After seven scoreless minutes, sophomore Kathryn Hettiger (Carmel HS, Carmel, Ind.) gave Augustana a 9-8 advantage with 13½ minutes remaining. Classmate Sydney Rector (Fishers HS, Fishers, Ind.) provided the assist.
 
Johnson's fourth goal of the afternoon tied it at 9-9 with 5:15 to play, but Margaret Cecilio's (Archbishop Mitty HS, San Jose, Calif.) free-position goal with 3:06 left gave the guests a 10-9 edge and Hettiger added an insurance goal, also on a free-position try, with just under a minute to play. Pielechaty controlled the ensuing draw and the Vikings ran out the clock.
 
The lead bounced back and forth in the first half. After Hettiger scored to put Augustana on top, UWL responded with the next three goals. Pielechaty, Hettiger, Cecilio and Cassidy answered with consecutive goals as the Vikings took a 5-3 lead with 11:48 left in the half.
 
Johnson and Anna Davis scored to tie it at 5-5 and Petrie and Johnson traded goals in the last 5:10 to leave the scored tied at intermission.
 
Hettiger led Coach C.J. Durham's squad with four goals. Petrie added three and Pielechaty and Cecilio two apiece. Rector had a pair of assists. Pielechaty and Cecilio controlled four draws each and junior goalie Courtney Veitch (Lake Zurich HS, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) made seven saves and collected a team-high three ground balls.
 
La Crosse had a 28-23 edge in shots, although Augustana led 17-16 in shots on goal. The Eagles had a 12-10 advantage in ground balls with turnovers (14-14) and draw controls (11-11) both even. The Vikings took advantage of free position opportunities, converting 6-of-8 to 0-for-4 for UWL.