Box Score

Things were a little rough at times, and even downright dirty, but in the end of North Park's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin men's soccer opener against visiting Augustana College before a near capacity crowd, the Vikings came out with a 2-0 Homecoming victory Friday night.

A total of three yellow cards were issued, and both teams combined for 33 fouls, but NP found a way to work its way through all that and finish its five-game homestand with a perfect 5-0 record.

Junior defender Fredrik Greiff scored a goal and assisted on the other as he upped his season total to two, both of which have come in the last two games. Greiff set up junior Mike Herbst with a perfect ball in the box 20 minutes into the match when Herbst took the Greiff connection and slotted a shot through three defenders that landed in the bottom center of the net for the game-winner.

Not even 15 minutes later, Greiff made it a 2-0 affair when he broke down the left sideline and took a pass off junior Markus Fodstad. After receiving the pass almost in step, Greiff buried the shot in the bottom left corner of the net.

North Park's defensive pressure agitated the Augie offense some and the visitors let NP know they weren't going to be pushed around. The Vikings however, staked their turf in return and didn't back down to any challenge Augie presented them.

NP's defensive effort was highlighted late in the match when senior defender Jakob Aronsson broke up an open field fast break for Augie with a sliding tackle of senior midfielder Grant Halter, which quickly put the momentum back in North Park's favor.

The Vikings (7-3-1) now hit the road for a four-game stretch that begins with Benedictine University in Lisle Wednesday night Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.