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Box Score

WHITEWATER, Wis. (Sept. 20, 2017) -An early lead was not enough for the North Central College women's soccer team as the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks showed why they are nationally ranked, coming from a two-goal deficit to outlast the Cardinals 3-2 in overtime at Fiskum Field in Whitewater, Wis. on Wednesday. The Warhawks have been in the thick of the United Soccer Coaches national rankings since the preseason, claiming the No. 13 spot in Week 2.

Undeterred by their opponent's statistics, The Cardinals got to work quickly after Taylor Piggott connected with Allyson Viederis off of a corner kick to hit a well-placed header and put the team on the board 1-0 in the 14th minute.

The Warhawks continued to fight, although Gretchen Frantz made any scoring attempt impossible in the opening half, recording five saves. Capitalizing on the team's momentum, Anna Brodjian found a clearing to the goal in the 39th minute, extending the Cardinals lead to 2-0 which lasted into halftime.

Determined to demonstrate their nationally-ranked abilities, the Warhawks came out of the locker room with fire, bringing the score within one as Karina Rosales found Morgan Beatty in perfect position in the 57th minute.

Beaty would score again, this time with help from Kaci Schonert in the 66th minute to tie the game 2-2, but there was simply not enough time for either team to come away with the win as the time expired in regulation.

Despite the team's best efforts, any opportunity to score in the extra period slipped through the Cardinals' grasp as Beaty would score her hat-trick goal in the 96th minute to end the game in favor of the Warhawks, 3-2.

Although the Warhawks outshot the Cardinals 20-9, Frantz held her ground in goal, recording eight saves in 100-minutes played to Warhawk goalkeeper Sara Klimisch's one.

Brodjian led the Cardinal offense with three shots and one goal, followed by Lexi Dimovski with three shots and Piggott with two shots and one assist. Viederis finished the night with perfect shooting, scoring her goal on her single shot in the first half.

With much to be proud of on paper, North Central head coach Andrew Gamarra had nothing but positive feedback on the team's performance.

"I'm so proud of these women," said Gamarra. "We played one of the best teams in the country and felt we were right there with them. We have to learn to not turn off the switch, but that comes with experience and time and we are ready for our next game."

North Central (3-3-1) hosts University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 P.M. A link to live in-game coverage can be found HERE.