Contact: Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Oct. 26, 2024 – The North Central College women's soccer team repelled the North Park University Vikings at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, for their sixth straight victory and an undefeated regular season home record of ten matches.

North Central (14-4, 6-1 CCIW) entered the match looking to get the offense rolling early firing the first two shots on goal between Yazmin Martinez and Elle Sutter, forcing two saves from Philemina Toca four minutes in. It took another six minutes until Sutter found another opportunity to shoot which Toca had to smother up.

Brooke Nelson fired the next shot on goal in the 17th minute but, was followed by a penalty in the North Central defensive zone giving a penalty kick opportunity to North Park's (5-10-1, 1-5-1 CCIW) Abigail Balmaseda. Her attempt soared through the uprights maintaining the 0-0 stalemate with twenty-five minutes to go.

The Cardinals fired another five shots at the Viking defense until the 39th minute, a costly foul by Ella Zaar gave Madison DeVriendt a penalty kick opportunity which she fired in for the match's first goal. North Park failed to respond in the final five minutes allowing a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Entering the second half, the Cardinals shot out ahead scoring two unanswered goals with Sarah Andrey passing to Elle Sutter for her first goal in the 47th minute with Andrey again assisting Brooke Nelson in the 49th minute. With the score at 3-0, North Park did not find an answer fouling again six minutes later, giving Sutter a penalty kick goal for her second score of the match.

The last thirty minutes saw both offenses battle up and down the field firing an even six shots each. The Vikings only forced two more saves out of Jordan Boyd who entered in the second half to help seal the game at 4-0.

In total, the Cardinals outshot the Vikings twenty-four to seven while firing thirteen to three on target. Olivia Mattison tended the goal for fifty-seven minutes while Boyd came in for thirty-two minutes securing all three saves of the match.

North Central faces their final regular season opponent the Wheaton College Thunder on Wednesday. Access the full schedule HERE.

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