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

BLOOMINGTON. Ill. (Nov. 5, 2022) - The North Central College women's soccer team returned to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship match for the second-straight year but fell at the hands of the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans, 4-1 Saturday afternoon at Neis Field in Bloomington. 

North Central (12-2-5, 4-0-4 CCIW) returned to the CCIW title game for the second time in program history after defeating Wheaton College 1-0 on Wednesday while Illinois Wesleyan (10-4-3, 6-1-1 CCIW) took down Carroll 4-0 for their spot in the championship. North Central handed the Titans their only conference loss of the year on Oct. 22 after a last minute goal pulled the Cardinals ahead 3-2.

Illinois Wesleyan came out hot this time around scoring their first goal in the sixth minute of play giving the 1-0 lead to the Titans. Alaina Kuhn responded in the seventh minute of play with a scoring opportunity at the top of the net but was denied by a goalkeeper save. The Titans extended their lead to 2-0 in the 18th minute with a goal by Lauren Shanks. North Central trailed Illinois Wesleyan in shot attempts 6-8 headed into halftime. 

The Titans continued their momentum in the second half putting up 10 shots to the Cardinals' five and found two more scoring opportunities in the 49th and 62nd minute. The Cardinals were down 4-0 when Sarah Andrey took advantage of a Titan foul and free kick opportunity, sending a strike to the opposite corner of the net to break the shutout and setting the final score at 4-1.

The Cardinals were held to a mild 11 shots throughout the match with seven being on goal. North Central goalkeeper Jordan Boyd had a season high of eight saves through the contest.

While Illinois Wesleyan earned the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with today's win, the Cardinals await their destiny for an at-large bid during Monday's NCAA Selection Show at 1 p.m. 

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