FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elliott Carr,  Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302
 
Box Score

Nov 4., 2015 – After a 0-0 tie after two overtime periods, the North Central College men's soccer team defeated 15th-ranked Wheaton College 5-4 in a penalty shootout, in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) tournament semifinal match at Joe Bean Field.

Senior forward Matt Koth has been no stranger to game-winning goals throughout his career, and none would have felt sweeter than tonight's penalty kick to advance the Cardinals to the CCIW championship game.

Making the accomplishment even more profound is that this is the Cardinals first ever appearance in the CCIW tournament.

In a defensive battle, both teams ended up scoreless after two overtime periods, thus requiring the penalty shootout to decide the game.

Under pressure the Cardinals were flawless, as they did not miss a single penalty kick in the shootout. Senior forward Evan Landmark, junior forward Chandler Olah, senior forward Joey Faleni, sophomore defender Nate Donovan, and finally Koth all made their penalty kicks, ensuring the final result was a positive one for the Cardinals.

Making it this far is a testament to the character and resilience of the Cardinals, and their willingness to believe in the process despite several close losses early in the season against nationally-ranked teams. Head Coach Matt Klosterman's strategy of testing the team early in the season proved to be a brilliant move, as the Cardinals and now within a match of advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

The Cardinals will now play in the CCIW championship game in Kenosha, Wisc., against Carthage  College at 7 P.M. Live stats can be found by clicking here.