Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
DECATUR, Ill. (Nov. 2, 2024) - The North Central College men's soccer team advances to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Semifinals after a standoff with Millikin University 0-0 at the end of regulation play and outscoring the Big Blue in a penalty-kick shootout 5-3.
 
The Cardinals' first offensive chance came in the eighth minute of the game when Luis Aviles fired a strike to the center of the net, but Oliwier Holowinski was able to handle the shot. Joris Rijnja, Tommaso Polidori, and Jared Urueta all recorded shots on goal, with Holowinski able to keep all the shots out of the back of the net. In the first half, North Central recorded 11 chances while keeping Millikin to just three shots.
 
In the second half, the Cardinals and the Big Blue defense increased their pressure on the ball. With the defense working hard for both teams, offenses were kept to just three shots a piece, but no opportunity made it to the net. Regulation play ended with both teams in a stalemate.

Overtime consisted of back-and-forth play between the teams. In the first ten minutes, Humberto Jaimes and Urueta had opportunities to capitalize, but their shots were off target. North Central allowed Millikin no shots.
 
In the second half of overtime, Will Mayer shot the ball but sent it out on the right side of the net. Just seconds later, Millikin had an opportunity on the net with Olav Kaldahl firing the ball to the bottom right of the net. Cardinals goalkeeper Daniel Szalai made a diving stop to keep the score tied at 0-0. Three minutes later, Big Blue's Nacho Diaz sent the ball to the top right corner of the net, but Szalai handled the ball. Overtime ended still tied at 0-0.
 
Rijnja opened up the penalty-kick shootout by sending the ball out of Holowinski's reach and into the back of the net. For Millikin, Alexander Wozniak shot the ball, but it hit the crossbar, and Szalai ensured it stayed out of the net. After this, the Cardinals and the Big Blue made their shots. Big Blue had Michael McFarland, Diaz, and Nick Orr all make attempts. At the same time, the Cardinals had Aviles, Aiden Maloney, and Urueta all making theirs. Eloi Nyibizi finished the game by sending the ball into the bottom left corner and leaving the Big Blue stunned.
 
North Central outshot Millikin 19-8, tallying four shots on goal and keeping the Big Blue to three shots on goal. The Cardinals also created 17 corner kick opportunities while only surrendering three. Playing in his first collegiate career overtime and penalty-kick shootout, Szalai recorded three saves on the day to improve to a 4-2-1 record in the Cardinal net.
 
North Central will face Wheaton College for the CCIW Tournament Semifinals Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. in Joe Bean Stadium in Wheaton, Ill. Click HERE for more information.
 
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