North Central College Cardinals

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Apr. 25, 2026) - In its final regular-season matchup, the North Central College women's lacrosse team erupted on the road, overpowering Augustana College in a dominant 14-9 victory in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) contest in Rock Island, Ill.

North Central opened the game quickly in the first two minutes, Samantha Alis found Rachel Lawrence, who broke free from her defender to catch and score the Cardinals' first goal. Anaise Kaufman won the ensuing draw control to maintain possession for North Central. Augustana responded to tie the game 1-1.

Later in the first quarter, the Vikings scored twice to take their first lead of the game at 3-1. Lawrence sparked a momentum shift with her second goal, as Mikaela Busse pushed through the defense and lofted a pass for Lawrence to finish and make it 3-2. Shortly after, Camille Krekeler scored the equalizer, spinning past her defender to tie the game 3-3.

After CC Rovik made a crucial save, she cleared the ball to Busse, who carried it the length of the field and scored to give North Central its first lead. Two minutes later, Alis found Kaufman open near the 12-meter mark. Kaufman dodged multiple defenders and scored to make it 5-3. After the seven minute mark of the second quarter, Alis scored off a give-and-go with Williamson to extend the lead to 6-3. 

After both teams traded shots without converting, Lawrence powered through three defenders and scored late in the half to make it 7-3. Augustana added a player-up goal before halftime, cutting the deficit to 7-4.

Early in the third quarter, Rovik made a save and pushed the ball upfield to start the offense. Busse received the ball in the corner, beat her defender one-on-one, and scored to extend the lead to 8-4. The teams exchanged shots but neither converted until Augustana scored in a player-up situation to make it 8-5. 

With five minutes remaining in the third, Lawrence scored on a player-up opportunity to push the lead to 9-5. Busse then delivered a no-look pass to Kaufman, who finished to extend the lead to 10-5.

North Central opened the fourth quarter with Busse taking on five defenders, dodging all of them to slam one into the back of the net and make it 11-5. Shortly after, she scored again off a pass from Alis, placing the shot into the lower left corner for her fourth goal and the team's 12th.

Augustana scored twice to trim the deficit to 12-7, before Busse assisted Williamson for her first goal, making it 13-7. The Vikings added another goal at the three-minute mark. North Central responded as Lawrence carried the ball downfield and found Busse for a catch-and-shoot goal to make it 14-8. Augustana scored once more before the Cardinals closed out the 14-9 victory. 

Busse led North Central with five goals, followed by Lawrence with four and Kaufman with two. Williamson, Alis and Krekeler each added one goal, and Rovik recorded 12 saves.

North Central finished with 26 shots, including 19 on goal, and recorded eight assists on 14 goals. The Cardinals went 26-for-30 on clears, and forced 12 turnovers. North Central finished the season 4-9 overall and 2-3 in CCIW play.