Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
LISLE, ILL. (Sept. 15, 2024) - The North Central College men's soccer team took a short trip down Chicago/Maple Avenue to Benedictine University Sunday for a non-conference matchup. The Cardinals found themselves down by two but worked hard to tie up the game in the second half.
 
North Central (2-2-3) looked to jump ahead at the start of the game with Eloi Nyibizi taking a shot on the Eagles (2-2-1) net, but goalkeeper Jordan Rolon made the save (2:24). Just two minutes later, Benedictine's offense found a gap in the North Central defense as Chris Reynoso placed a pass from Mark Szklarcyk into the net. The Eagles gained momentum and capitalized again in the 22nd minute when a pass from Thomas Suchecki connected with Szklarcyk. Nyibizi (26:30) and Hector Huerta (34:12) recorded shots on goal but could not get the ball past Rolon. The first half ended with the Eagles leading 2-0.
 
Freshman Lucas Visser started in the net for the Cardinals in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Jared Urueta sent a strike on net that sailed past Rolon into the Benedictine net. Visser made his first save by handling Szklarcyk's shot to keep it out of the Cardinal net (62:53). In the 75th minute, the Cardinals received a penalty kick. Nyibizi took the kick for North Central and sent the ball out of Rolon's reach to tie the game up, 2-2. Luis Aviles fired the ball to the Eagles' net, but this time, Rolon was able to make the catch (77:47). Both defenses stayed steady as time ticked down, and the game ended still tied 2-2.
 
The North Central offense dominated the game, outshooting the Eagles 31-6 with 17 of their 31 shots going on net. This afternoon, Visser recorded his first save of the season.
 
For the first time in five years, the Cardinals will take on Knox College on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. inside Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
 
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