ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – On a night when it recognized its three seniors, Augustana got 15 kills from freshman Brook Fieldman (Plainfield East HS, Plainfield, Ill.) to cruise to a straight set win over Wheaton at Carver Center. The Vikings improved to 2-6 on the year and 2-5 in the CCIW, while the Thunder fell to 2-3 overall and in the conference.
 
Honored with a Senior Night victory were defensive specialist Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.), outside Laura Heuermann (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) and setter Taylor Curley (Fulton HS, Fulton, Ill.).
 
Fieldman had seven kills in a 25-15 game-one win. Three of those came as the hosts jumped in front 6-1. Wheaton rallied to get as close as 7-6 on a Audrey Gerze kill, but Heuermann's answer sparked a 9-3 Augustana run, capped by a Grace Vranicar (Kaneland HS, Maple Park, Ill.) ace that made it 16-9 Vikings. After the visitors pulled  to within 16-12, consecutive Fieldman kills started a 9-3 closing spurt for Coach Kelly Bethke's bunch. Set point came via a Thunder service error.
 
Gerze had a kill and an ace as the Thunder went up 4-1 in game two, but Augustana got kills from Fieldman and Lexi Miller (Oswego HS, North Liberty, Iowa) and an ace from Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) to tie it and it settled into a back-and-forth affair. Wheaton led 15-11 after a Colleen Smith kill, but two by Fieldman ignited a 5-0 run that gave the Vikings the lead for good. They captured the last six points of the set, with a Heuermann kill finishing off a 25-17 win.
 
Fieldman had a kill and an ace to help stake the hosts to a 7-2 lead in game three. The Thunder recovered to eventually lead 12-11 after a Briley Brogan kill. They still led at 18-17, but consecutive kills by Miller, another by freshman Jenny Dunder (Skyline HS, Longmont, Colo.) and two Fieldman aces put Augustana on top 22-18. Match point in a 25-22 Viking win came on Heuermann's ninth kill of the match.
 
Doak finished with 32 assists and she and Fieldman each delivered three aces. Nguyen recorded 26 digs, Fieldman 13 and Doak 10.
 
This weekend, Augustana will be in action at the AVCA Division III Invitational in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Vikings face Elmhurst at noon and Covenant at 2:00 p.m. in pool play on Friday, April 9.