SIOUX FALLS – Pushing the preseason conference favorite to the brink, University of Sioux Falls Soccer forced overtime against Augustana before falling, 1-0, in the Cougars' season finale on Sunday. USF finishes the season with a Division II-best record of 3-12-3, setting program highs in wins (3) and points (12) for the season. All three of USF's wins came in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition, bringing their league record to 3-10-2, again setting program bests for wins (3) and points (11) since the Cougars joined the league in 2012.
 
Celebrating the careers of seven seniors, the Cougars narrowly pulled off a win against cross-town rival Augustana after withstanding a big first half from the Vikings. With seven shots in the opening period, Augustana held a 7-2 edge in total shots and a 2-1 advantage in shots on goal.
 
USF goalkeeper Morgan Perkins faced six shots in the first 17 minutes and turned away both Augustana scoring efforts that were on goal. Carley Campbell recorded USF's first shot but her 22nd-minute effort was blocked by an AU defender. In the 37th minute, senior Brooke Jensen fired a shot from just outside the 18-yard box but Augustana goalie Taylor Machacek stopped it.
 
The Cougars controlled the tempo in the second half, out-shooting Agustuana 9-5 with a 6-1 edge in shots on goal. Lola Weiss started the second half for the Cougars with a shot on goal less than a minute after the intermission, but her attempts was topped. Two minutes later, Lauren LaFavre had her shot stopped, but it showed that USF had seized momentum.
 
LaFavre had a header deflected over the goal to set up a corner kick in the 56th minute. Weiss served the ball in from the corner and Becca Schmitz headed it towards the goal, but Machacek made a reaction save and tipped the ball over the goal. On the ensuing corner kick, Weiss found Jackie Montes, but her header missed left.
 
Alexandria Scott sent a shot from distance wide of the net just a minute later and Weiss fired a shot from distance that was stopped by the Augustana keeper. With less than 20 minutes left, the Cougars again pushed forward, looking to knock off the Vikings. Jensen fired her second shot of the day only to have it stopped by the Viking goalie. Montes took a shot from 30 yards, but Machacek corralled it for her sixth save of the second period.
 
Off the opening kickoff, the Vikings won the ball in their offensive half and Hannah Keirstead dribbled into the box and took a shot that deflected off Perkins and a USF defender to cross the goal line and score the game-winning goal.
 
Along with the improved overall and conference record, the Cougars continued to make positive strides under second-year head coach Brittany Goosen. USF allowed 29 goals on the season, 17 fewer than the year before, to finish with a 1.49 goals against average, nearly a goal better than in 2015. USF posted four shutouts on the season and eight of their 12 losses came by a one-goal margin.
 
The Cougars honored seven seniors on Sunday, recognizing Cheyanne Carpenter, Elisa Glab, Alexa D'Acunto, Nataly Escamilla, Lola Weiss, Rachel Mata and Brooke Jensen for their contributions to the program.