DUBUQUE, Iowa – Senior Sandra Pielechaty (Taft HS, Chicago, Ill.) had four goals and four assists Wednesday to lead Augustana to a 12-8 win over Loras at the Rock Bowl. The Vikings improved to 1-2 on the season, while the contest was the Duhawks' season opener.
 
The hosts jumped on top on Hannah Medina's goal a minute and a half in, but Pielechaty answered 26 seconds later. The score remained tied until Pielechaty fed freshman Brooke Borchart (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) for a goal at the 19:51 mark. Sophomore Cassidy Petrie (Naperville North HS, Naperville, Ill.) added a score less than a minute later and the Vikings led 3-1.
 
After Eric Conley scored for Loras at the 16:18 mark of the first half, the visitors responded with four straight goals in a three-minute span to take control. Pielechaty assisted on goals by juniors Kathryn Hettiger (Carmel HS, Carmel, Ind.) and Margaret Cecilio (Archbishop Mitty HS, San Jose, Calif.) and then scored herself before Hettiger's free position goal finished off the run to make it 7-2 Vikings.
 
Marianne Gleason and Medina sandwiched Duhawk goals around Augustana scores from Cecilio and junior Sydney Rector (Fishers HS, Fishers, Ind.) in the final five minutes of the half. Pielechaty assisted on Cecilio's goal. Coach C.J. Holder's club took a 9-4 advantage to the break.
 
Loras pulled to within 9-6 on tallies by Clare Brunn and Medina in the first 10 minutes of the second stanza, but Hettiger assisted on a Pielechaty goal midway through the period and then scored herself with 8:46 to play to push the lead back to 11-4. Medina and Gleason scored in quick succession, but Augustana held the Duhawks at bay down the stretch, with Pielechaty adding her fourth goal just before the final gun.
 
In addition to Pielechaty, Hettiger scored three times and Cecilio twice. Pielechaty also snared a game-high six ground balls and Cecilio controlled a game-high seven draws. Senior Courtney Veitch (Lake Zurich HS, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) recorded a dozen saves in goal.
 
Medina led Loras with four goals and Lydia Phelps made 15 saves for the Duhawks.
 
Holder's club is back in action on Saturday, March 6, hosting UW-La Crosse at Thorson-Lucken Field at 1:00 p.m.