Contact: Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Sept. 14, 2024 – The North Central College women's soccer team outlasted the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 3-2 on senior day, going undefeated in the North Central Invitational hosted at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

North Central (6-2) ripped their first shot of the game just thirty-eight seconds into the match from Madison DeVriendt to put goalkeeper Kennedy Boll on notice. UW-Eau Claire (2-3-1) matched the pace five minutes later, finding a gap past Olivia Mattison for an early 1-0 lead from Emma Donovan.

The Cardinals did not allow the lead to last long as Elle Sutter responded with a pass to Jordan Lange to tie the game back up in the 7th minute. North Central kept the pressure on with another shot-on-goal attempt from Victoria Jaimes two minutes later. As the Blugold defense started to ease up, Sarah Andrey found an open Elle Sutter to put the Cardinals ahead for the first time with twenty-nine minutes left in the period.

The next twenty-seven minutes of action would see a battle up and down both sides of play as both offenses struggled to score. The 43rd minute saw the Blugolds put enough pressure on the North Central defense as Elise Pinewski recovered her shot attempt for a goal to tie the game into halftime.

Entering the second half, both teams looked to break the stalemate as both Caroline Curran for the Blugolds and Madison DeVriendt forced saves out of each goalie within five minutes. Sutter, Lange, and Andrey took the next three shots on target in the match over the next ten minutes narrowly being saved by Boll.

The Cardinals finally found a gap in the 62nd minute as Lange found an open Sutter in stride for her second goal of the match and fourth of the invitational to force the score up, 3-2. UW-Eau Claire attempted to respond by forcing two saves out of Mattison six minutes later. North Central did not ease off the pressure keeping pace with the Blugold shot attempts with both shooting three times on target over the final twenty-two minutes of regulation.

The graduating senior class combined for eleven shots with six on target. Sutter led the offense throughout the North Central Invitational scoring four of the six Cardinal goals while tallying her tenth goal of the season. First-year goalkeeper, Mattison helped the anchor defense to outlast the Blugold offense with a career-high nine saves.

North Central continues their four-game home win streak, hosting the Hanover College Panthers this Friday at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Find access to the full schedule HERE.

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