ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – In the home opener of the 2021 men's lacrosse season; played on a snow-encased Thorson-Lucken Field, Augustana used a strong second half to knock off Benedictine 15-9 in non-conference action on Saturday, February 27. The Vikings of head coach Dan Torie snapped a 6-6 halftime tie with three straight goals to open up the third quarter and take control of the game.
 
Junior Mark Teschke (Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Ill.) scored off an assist from freshman Carson Ghys (Warren Township HS, Gurnee, Ill.) to snap that 6-6 tie less than three minutes (12:25) into the third stanza. That was followed by a goal from senior Steve Robertson (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) off a feed from Teschke at 9:16 to make it 8-6. Freshman Elijah Graesser (Rufus King HS, Milwaukee, Wis.) capped the three goal run with an unassisted goal at 8:34 to give Augustana a 9-6 advantage.
 
That burst proved to be enough as the Vikings won for the first time this year after opening the 2021 campaign with a narrow loss at Aurora just a week ago.
 
After a Benedictine goal at 7:01 made it 9-7, Steve Robertson scored at 5:07 thanks to an assist from his sophomore brother Bob Robertson (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.). The brother duo connected again at 12:52 of the fourth quarter to push the advantage to 11-8 after Benedictine's Thomas Tillett scored with 1:49 left in the third to make it 10-8.
 
The visiting Eagles cut the lead to 11-9 with 6:44 left in the game but the Vikings scored the last four goals of the game to clinch the victory. Steve Robertson score with 5:57 to go, his sixth goal of the game, thanks to an assist from senior Trever Moore (Naperville Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) to bump the lead to 12-9.
 
Moore then scored the final three goals of the contest, at 4:34, 2:18 and :51 to close things out. The first goal in the spree was unassisted with Steve Robertson and Teschke getting the assists on the last two.
 
Augustana broke out on top 1-0 when Steve Robertson scored at the 8:09 mark with brother Bob Robertson getting the assist. Junior John Calabrese (Maine South HS, Park Ridge, Ill.) scored early in the second quarter (14:45) to put the Vikings back on top 2-1 after Benedictine's Scott Ransom scored with 2:45 left in the first.
 
Ranson scored again for the Eagles to tie things at 2-2 at 13:56 but Bob Robertson tallied at 12:52 of the second to make 3-2 in favor of the Vikings. Benedictine got a goal from Anthony Leahy at 12:38 to knot the game at 3-3.
 
The second period finished with Augustana goals by Moore, Steve Robertson and Ghys while Benedictine answered with goals by Colin Domek (twice) and Tillett to make it 6-6 at halftime.
 
Steve Robertson led the way for the Vikings with six goals while Moore had four. Bob Robertson and Teschke each had three assists.
 
Statistically, Augustana held an advantage in shots attempted by a margin of 53-41. Junior Cameron Duffy (Glenbrook South HS, Glenview, Ill.) got the win in goal for the Vikings. He stopped 14 Benedictine shots.
 
Calabrese won 13 of 23 face-offs and had seven ground balls, which tied for the team lead with junior Matt Pierson (Montini Catholic HS, Downers Grove, Ill.) and Duffy.
 
Augustana will be in action again on Wednesday, March 3 at home against Cornell. Face-off is set for 4:00 p.m.