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

Box Score

Sept. 1, 2010-- #T.J. Simmons# scored two goals, including the game-winner in the fourth minute of overtime, as the short-staffed North Central College men's soccer squad opened the 2010 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Lake Forest College Wednesday night at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The visiting Foresters (0-1) struck first as Cardinal goalkeeper Phillip Klipp made the initial save off a Mahir Mameledzija shot before Grady McDonald collected the rebound and scored in the seventh minute. Lake Forest would take the 1-0 edge into the halftime break, owning a 12-4 advantage on shots.

Simmons netted the equalizer in the 80th minute off a Jake Muszczynski feed, a mere two minutes after a red card reduced North Central to 10-men. The two sides were unable to find the back of the net in the final 10 minutes of play, forcing an overtime period.

Simmons emerged as the overtime hero, scoring the winning goal in the 94th minute on a header off a Ryan Johnson throw-in.

Klipp logged in all 94 minutes in goal for the Cardinals (1-0), recording eight saves in the winning effort while his counterpart Tom Biesiada recorded one save in 49 minutes of work, replacing Melvin Flores at halftime.

North Central continues its homestand on Saturday, welcoming the University of Dubuque to Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium with kickoff slated for 6 p.m.