ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Carthage College Red Men will now wait and learn their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament fate after topping the Augustana College Vikings in Rock Island, Illinois on Saturday evening, 3-1.
 
The win moves the Red Men to 10-8-1 on the year and to 5-2-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, while Augustana's season comes to an end at 3-5 in the CCIW and 5-11 overall.
 
"I am satisfied with the win," said head coach Steve Domin.  "But the truth is we probably let a look at the league title slip away some days ago this year.  I am proud the guys have battled to get to this point.  Frankly, I didn't think we had a run in us with everything surrounding the team: injuries, long travel and super demanding schedule to start the season.   But we have always had fiercely competitive guys who have very high expectations for themselves.   I wouldn't want it any other way."

After scoring just two goals in the past 313 minutes over a 1-1-1 stretch, Carthage exploded late in the first half with goals from Ivan Esquivel in the 37th minute and Kevin Mahoney, who was assisted by Lucas Maaske, in the 41st minute.  The goals were the fifth and fourth for Esquivel and Mahoney respectively, while Maaske's assist was his first of the first of his career.  For Mahoney, a senior out of Orland Park, Illinois, it was his first game-winner of the season.

"Today, honestly, we didn't get off the bus, and that has been an issue we have to address all year.  Luckily, Ivan had a brilliant individual effort to earn time and space on top of box and force a lead-up goal that was fun to watch... Lucas Maaske changed the culture of the game when we inserted him which spirited our effort with diligent pressure, calm combination passing, and leading Kevin Mahoney to a pretty right to left goal to make it two-love right before the half," noted the head coach.  "Augustana is a tough place to play, let alone being the last regular season game of the year.  They have been on a nice roll recently knocking off North Central, Illiniois Wesleyan and Millikin… Our league, regardless of record is just so strong, and we all beat each other up.  This match was no different."

The Red Men looked to by going into the halftime break up 2-0 but a 44th minute goal by the Vikings on their first shot on goal cut the lead to one just before half.
 
Carthage, who outshot Augustana 14-7 for the match, continued to pressure the Vikings backline with a 8-4 edge in shots in the second half, but weren't able to add-on until the 90th minute as a three-on-one attack resulted in a red card for the Vikings' goalkeeper on a foul to Alberto Eloyza in the box.  On the ensuing penalty kick, Adrian Herrera hammered home the third goal of the match for the Red Men to give them the 3-1 win.

Goalkeeper Niko Mavrogiannis finished with a pair of saves in the win as his defensive backline of Nicholas Messineo, Matt Rojel, Jeff Montemayor and Kevin Reilly were up to the task, limiting Augie to just three shots on goal.

"Going up two goals I felt good, but inadvertent fouls and lazy defending led to a well-executed goal for our opponents, which, although we had most of the play in front of us this match, still makes it a tricky effort trying to protect one while aiming to get a third.  I think it's a sign of a good team to play averagely and win.   Today that is what we got.  We willed one out."

Carthage, who entered the night sitting in third in the CCIW men's soccer standings, will either earn the second or third seed in the upcoming conference tournament, depending on tonight's Wheaton College at North Park University match.  A Wheaton loss means the Red Men will host the Thunder.  A Wheaton win will send the Red Men to North Park and a tie in tonight's match will send Carthage to Wheaton.