The University of Minnesota Duluth pushed the first-place team in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, No. 20-ranked Augustana (S.D.) University, but fell in a 1-0 heartbreaker at Malosky Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

UMD (4-7-1, 3-5-1 NSIC) employed a defensive-minded game plan against the Vikings and largely kept them off the scoresheet in the first half, out-shooting Augustana (10-1-1, 8-0-1 NSIC) by a 7-3 margin before the break. Bulldog first-year goalkeeper Carlye Wright would need three saves in the first half while UMD collected the same number of on-target shots on offense. Wright would stop one more ball in the second half to finsih with four saves on the day, but it was Augustana senior midfielder Stephanie Stevens who broke through with her fourth goal of the season at 67:12, an unassisted tally that ended up being the game-winner. UMD would finish with just one shot in the second half while the Vikings nearly pulled even with them with four, with the end result being an 8-7 edge for the Bulldogs.

CORNER KICKS
UMD's record falls to 11-5-1 all-time against Augustana ... junior midfielder Marissa Ganske led the way with three shots for UMD, including a pair on goal ... junior forward Kailey Beatt had the best chance for UMD, launching a shot from about 25 yards out that was hauled in off the fingertips of Augie 'keeper Taylor Machacek, one of three saves on the day ... senior forward Kirsten Smith and sophmore midfielder Emily Jacobson each added a pair of shots for the Vikings.

UP NEXT
UMD begins a four-game road trip through the NSIC next weekend, taking on Minot State University and the University of Mary. The Bulldogs and Beavers will match up at 1:00 p.m. next Saturday afternoon.