After a 10-9 win over Carthage on May 2, the Augustana men’s lacrosse team clinched the CCIW Championship title. The win came after a 14-4 season, with key wins over teams such as Albion, Cornell, and Elmhurst.
The Vikings trailed by 3 points in the first period, but were able to tie the game before halftime. Key scoring plays from Nick Zielinksi and Jared Hawkins throughout the third period brought the Vikings to a heavy 10-5 lead. Though Carthage’s Red Men made effective attempts to regain the advantage, the Vikings eventually clinched the match following a game-winning save by Jack Peters with three seconds left in play.
Senior defenseman Taylor McGinnis said he was confident in the team’s preparation for the championship game.
“We really prepared well for the game,” said McGinnis. “We made sure that we corrected the mistakes that we had made from the previous week…it was a great team effort, and everyone contributed to our success.”
Head Coach Kyle Hart accredited “unselfish play on the field and leadership off the field” to the Viking’s big win and overall success this season, all of which came with hard work.
“My initial thought after we beat Carthage,” said Hart, “was that the student-athletes in our program earned it. Nothing was handed to them this season. We trailed in both playoff games and found a way to win.”
The Vikings will seek to continue their winning streak in its first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament Bid, which begins with a home game against Albion on May  6 at 5 p.m.