Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, tkgallisath@noctrl.edu

Nov. 5, 2022 - Battling blustering winds throughout the entire contest, the North Central College men's soccer team proves victorious once again as it defeats the North Park University Vikings 3-2 claiming the program's second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship title inside Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. 

The Cardinals advanced to the championship game with a 1-0 win over Carthage College on Wednesday while North Park took down Wheaton College 2-0 to make the title match. These two teams tied 2-2 in their matchup earlier this season.

The Cardinals faced one of their most even matchups of the season where both teams averaged over 2.50 goals per game and their defenses allowed less than 20 goals all season. North Central managed to keep the first half scoreless despite North Park having five shot attempts to the Cardinals one.

A battle in the box put North Park in a penalty kick opportunity where Angel Barriga was able to slip a goal past North Central goalkeeper Sid Marquardt to give the Vikings an early second half advantage. Aidan Westerberg answered back in the 48th minute as he pounced on an open pass from the Vikings before giving a quick dish to Jack Bonavia whose strike put the Cardinals on the board and leveled the score at 1-1.

What was meant to be a pass to the left corner of the field, ended up being an effortless half-field goal by Jacopo De Collibus in the 71st minute as the heavy winds took control of the ball and bounced over the head of North Park's goalkeeper giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. 

A Cardinal foul gave the Vikings a free kick scoring opportunity where North Park's William De Carro put it away off a rebound bringing the score back even at two-all in the 86th minute. A collision at the top of the box gave North Central a penalty kick opportunity in the 88th minute where Sam Abreu narrowly beat the Vikings goalkeeper's save attempt, scoring his first goal of the season and leading the Cardinals to their second-straight CCIW championship title. 

Despite being out-shot 11-4, the Cardinals prevailed in a 3-2 victory while Marquardt tallied three saves in the contest. 

North Central has earned the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and awaits their first round destiny from the NCAA Selection Show set for Nov. 7 at 12:30 p.m. 

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