FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score

Sep. 17, 2008 – Micah Melendrez (Jr., Dixon, Ill./Dixon) scored two goals in the final 1:06 of play, lifting North Central College to the 3-2 victory over the University of Dubuque in a non-conference men's soccer match at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Melendrez knotted the score at two apiece in the 89^th minute on a penalty kick and scored the game winner with just 12 seconds left.

The Spartans got on the board first, with Chadwick Newquist scoring in the ninth minute off a corner kick. The Cardinals would get the equalizer three minutes before intermission, with Michael Curtis (Fr., Morton, Ill./Morton) finding the back of the net after the ball ricocheted off the post.

Dubuque would regain the lead in the 54^th minute, with Pablo Martinez scoring for the Spartans, once again off a corner kick. The Spartans would hold the 2-1 lead until a Spartan defender was called for a handball in the box with 1:06 to play. Melendrez took the penalty kick, drilling it home to tie the score at two apiece. 51 seconds later Melendrez would strike again, scoring off a rebound with 12 seconds to play for the game-winner and his second goal of the night.

Mike McEvoy (Fr., Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) had five saves on the night, playing all 90 minutes in goal while Nick Casper had six saves in the losing effort. The Cardinals outshot the Spartans 17-11 and held a 9-4 advantage in shots at halftime.

With the win, North Central improves to 7-1 overall and remains undefeated (4-0) at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium while Dubuque falls to 3-3. The Cardinals have the weekend off before returning to the pitch on Wednesday, September 24, for the conference opener against Carthage College in the final game of the team's four-game homestand.