ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings women's lacrosse team dropped a high-scoring battle on Wednesday to the Beloit Buccaneers by a score of 17-12.

The Vikings scored two points in the first minute with goals by Kritika Chitnis and Becca Lacina to secure the early lead. Beloit tallied one of its own a minute later before Augie added three to make a four-point cushion. At 11:16, Madison Langewisch started the scoring streak off of a pass from Lacina and Elena Bechard notched another nearly 30 seconds later with a pass from Colleen Chiavola. Jackie McNair stretched the gap to four with Langewisch notching the assist. The Buccaneers grabbed back-to-back successful attempts to get within two but another made shot from Langewisch moved the difference back to three. Beloit obtained the final three goals of the quarter to even the game at six apiece after 15 minutes of play.

In the second quarter, Beloit grabbed the first goal to take the slight 7-6 advantage before Langewisch and Bechard tallied two off of passes by Lacina in woman-up situations to regain the lead. The Buccaneers drew the score even once again before taking a one-point advantage, but with two minutes remaining Langewisch evened the game at 9-9 heading into halftime. 

Returning to the field, Beloit secured the early lead after adding two in the first minute of the quarter. The Buccaneers stretched the margin to as many as three, but Chiavola converted a successful attempt off a pass from Chitnis to make a 12-10 score. In a woman-up position with five minutes left in the quarter, Langewisch tallied another strike to get within one. Beloit notched the final goal of the quarter to bring a 13-11 lead entering the final quarter.

In the fourth, the Buccaneers put up two points to stretch the gap to four. At 11:29, Langewisch secured a shot on goal that was turned into an own goal by Beloit to inch the Vikings within three. Both teams remained scoreless after a defensive battle for eight minutes until the Buccaneers notched the final two points to take the five-point game.

As a team, Augie had 22 shots on goal with Langewisch notching five goals and an assist to reach a career milestone of 100 points. Bechard caused five turnovers, while Lacina notched three assists and Langewisch won nine draw controls. Lanie Cecala saved eight shots in her 60 minutes in goal.

With the loss, the Vikings move to 3-3 on the season and will be back in action on Saturday, March 15 to host UW-Stevens Point.