WAUKESHA, Wis. -- The Augustana Vikings football team erased a 17-point first-half deficit on Saturday, but fell to the Carroll Pioneers in double overtime by a score of 44-41.

It was a tough start for the Vikings, going three-and-out on their first drive and enduring an opening-possession touchdown from the Pioneers. Augie struggled with penalties and dropped catches in quarter one, leading to a 14-0 start for the home team after 15 minutes of action.
 
Carroll added a field goal less than two minutes into the second quarter, but the Vikings grabbed their first points of the game later in the frame, seeing a four-yard touchdown pass from Cole Bhardwaj to Craig Shelton. Augustana trimmed the deficit to just three right before the half on another connection between Bhardwaj and Shelton, this time from 42 yards out. The Pioneers led 17-14 at the break.
 
A defensive stop from each team kicked off the second half, but it was the Vikings who capitalized off of the first and only turnover of the game as Anthony Norberg recovered a muffed punt to set up the game's next score. Three plays following the takeaway, Bhardwaj notched his third touchdown of the day on a 17-yard strike to Ian Gorken to make give the Vikings their first lead of the game.

After a field goal from the Pioneers to bring the score to 21-20, Augie posted the first touchdown of the fourth quarter on a 63-yard run from Jacob Brooks on a 3rd-and-1 play. Carroll answered with a march down the field, tallying a one-yard touchdown run to go along with a successful two-point conversion to make it a 28-28 ballgame with ten minutes remaining.
 
On the ensuring drive, the Vikings chewed up over six minutes of clock, capping off their possession with Brooks' second touchdown of the game. His 13-yard scamper gave the Vikings a 35-28 advantage with 3:51 remaining in the game. On the very first play from scrimmage for the Pioneers following the score, an 80-yard touchdown run evened things back up at 35 points apiece.
 
Penalties put Augustana in tough position on their next drive, eventually resulting in a punt that gave Carroll the ball at the Augie 40 around the two-minute mark. The Viking defense held their own on three straight runs to prevent a first down, setting up a game-winning 49-yard field goal attempt with four seconds showing on the clock. Carroll's try went just left, resulting in overtime between the teams for a second straight year.
 
The Pioneers started the overtime session on offense, rolling the dice after three straight rushing plays on a 4th-and-inches. Carroll converted on another short gain, setting up a first down inside the ten a play later. The Augie defense anchored down on three straight plays from the eight-yard line, resulting a 25-yard made field goal for the Pioneers to give them a 38-35 lead.
 
Augustana was unable to get a first down during their possession, earning just three yards to set up a 40-yard field goal attempt. Sidney Maroon sent it through the upright to force a second overtime.
 
For the second straight possession, the Vikings only mustered three yards on offense, resulting in another successful field goal from Maroon. Facing a 2nd-and-21 after a sack from Cole Romano, the Pioneers reached the eight-yard line two plays later to set up a first-and-goal. Carroll ended the game with a four-yard touchdown pass.
 
Bhardwaj ended his night 19-33 through the air for 198 yards and the three scores. Brooks tallied 142 yards on the ground, while Shelton was the team's top pass-catcher with six for 73 yards. Ronde Worrels led the defensive unit with 12 tackles, followed by Nick Harper with 10. Carroll out-gained Augustana 502-373.
 
With the loss, Augie drops to 2-2 on the season and 1-2 in the CCIW. The team will be back on the road on Saturday, October 9 when they visit the Millikin Big Blue. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Decatur, Ill.