ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Cornell scored four unanswered goals early in the second half Wednesday and went on to an 8-5 win over Augustana at Thorson-Lucken Field. The contest was the 2021 home opener for the Vikings, who dropped to 0-2 on the year. The Rams were playing their season opener.
 
The teams traded goals through the first 33½ minutes. Junior Kathryn Hettiger (Carmel HS, Carmel, Ind.) scored both of Augustana's first half goals and Cornell answered each with scores by Nina Deer and Elizabeth Ott, respectively. The first half ended in a 2-2 tie.
 
Hettiger tallied the first goal of the second stanza off a free position opportunity, but the Rams took control by scoring the next four. When Ott found the net for the third time with 22:01 remaining, the visitors led 6-3. Junior Sydney Rector (Fishers HS, Fishers, Ind.) and Hettiger scored in the final 15:36, but Cornell countered each goal with one of its own. Deer's second tally of the game with 2:47 left accounted for the final.
 
Hettiger finished with team highs of four goals, five ground balls, four draw controls and two caused turnovers. Senior Sandra Pielechaty (Taft HS, Chicago, Ill.) and sophomore Claire Kim (Mundelein HS, Mundelein, Ill.) were credited with assists. Senior Courtney Veitch (Lake Zurich HS, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) recorded 13 saves in goal.
 
The Rams were led by Ott's three goals and two by Deer.
 
Coach C.J. Holder's squad is back in action on Wednesday, March 3, traveling to Dubuque, Iowa to take on Loras at 5:00 p.m.