Lisle, Il., -- In a back-and-forth battle that was littered with defensive takeaways and high-stakes scoring drives, the Vikings fell just short in a 24-19 loss to Benedictine University on Wednesday evening. Despite a fourth-quarter lead and a standout performance from the Vikings' defense, a late touchdown by the Eagles proved to be the difference.
The Vikings wasted no time making their presence felt on the opening drive, as Jayla Robinson set the tone for the defense by intercepting a Benedictine pass. North Park's offense capitalized on the momentum with an 8-play drive anchored by running back Ava Balmaseda, who chewed up yardage on the ground before quarterback Janiya Greenfield punched it in from four yards out for the game's first touchdown. The Eagles responded late in the first quarter when Weronika Zeliszczak broke free for a 21-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 6-6. Zeliszczak proved to be a persistent threat for the Eagles, scoring again on a 30-yard run in the second quarter to give Benedictine a 12-6 lead heading into the half.
North Park found their rhythm again in the third. It was Balmaseda's turn to snuff out the endzone on a 9-yard rush to tie the score at 12-12. But the Eagles responded quickly before the end of the period on another 19-yard touchdown run by Zeliszczak.
With the score at 18-12, the final quarter saw its fair share of drama late. With 2:11 remaining on the clock, Greenfield connected with Asley Wilson for a 6-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings successfully converted the extra point on a pass to Amber Bock, surging ahead 19-18. Unfortunately, Benedictine drove down the field as Zeliszczak found Leilani Gawne for a 27-yard touchdown with only 32 seconds remaining, securing the 24-19 victory for the home team.
The Vikings will return home after a two game road run, playing host to Aurora University for their second meeting this season. Kickoff is set for Sunday, April 12th at 2pm.
