Contact:
Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
DUBUQUE, IA. (Nov. 11, 2023) – The North Central College women's soccer team fell in their first NCAA Tournament appearance after deadlocking with the University of Chicago 1-1, only to fall in a penalty-kick shootout 5-4.
UChicago (9-2-8, 1-1-5 UAA) was on the receiving end of the first shot on goal of the game from
Elle Sutter that was scooped up by Sophie Pilarski at goal in the 12
th minute.
However, this was followed by an offensive surge in the 17
th minute from the Maroons' Kaitlyn Gomez that put North Central (18-2-1, 8-0 CCIW) behind 1-0, for the first time since they faced Transylvania University on senior night on Sept. 17
th.
The rest of the half saw the Cardinals force another two saves out of Pilarski tallying their first half total to ten shots with three on goal.
Entering the last half of regulation, the Cardinals found success early in the 49
th minute with CCIW newcomer of the year recipient
Jordan Lange, tying the score up off a rocketed freekick.
With forty minutes remaining, both teams found little room on offense with the Maroons only shooting five times and Cardinals shooting six more times.
The score remained 1-1 into the start of overtime. Both ten-minute overtime halves saw a collective nine shots from the Cardinals, with two nearly ending the match.
With the teams remaining in a deadlock, the game was called a draw after two scoreless overtime halves sending the decision to a penalty-kick shootout to advance to the second round.
The shootout saw
Sarah Andrey, Lange,
Ellie Lochbaum,
Kassandra Salviola, and
Elle Sutter take penalty-kicks with Sutter narrowly missing the final shot.
In total the Cardinals outshot the Maroons twenty-six to fourteen while both teams ended with nearly identical saves, eight and nine respectively.
North Central finishes the season with a incredible fourteen program records broken, first regular-season title, first CCIW tournament crown, obtained the CCIW's first regular season shutout sweep, a program high eight CCIW team selections, first coach of the year award, and their first bid into the NCAA Tournament.
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