Contact: Sam Fretto, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu
CHICAGO (Oct. 25, 2025)- After clinching a spot in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament in their last match, the North Central College men's soccer team jumped up to second place in the CCIW standings with a 2-1 win over North Park University on Saturday at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.
Joris Rijnja's penalty kick goal in the 71st minute proved to be the game-winning goal to help the Cardinals improve to 4-0-3 in conference play.
Griffin French made the opening score of the match from 30 yards out at the 18:36 mark. Off a throw-in, Aleks Duncevic brought the ball deep into the attacking zone before dumping it off to a trailing French. Upon receiving the pass, French hit a low rolling shot through the Vikings' defense and by the diving goalkeeper at the left side of the net. Duncevic was given an assist as he set up French for the goal.
With a chance to respond off a corner kick in the 22nd minute, North Park's kick went directly to Daniel Szalai as he punched it out of the zone. The Cardinals' defense would kill the attack by the Vikings moments later, clearing the ball out and creating their own shot by Will Mayer, dead center but saved by the Vikings.
North Park got on the board and tied the match with 28:50 remaining with a goal by Angel Arismendiz. The Vikings' offensive attack brought the ball into the zone, and a perfectly placed pass by Matias Soerum allowed Arismendiz to rise above the Cardinals' defense for the header to tie the game 1-1.
Playing with a faster pace, North Park sped up their offensive attack, taking a shot 24 seconds following the goal score, but Szalai dove to his left to preserve the score and settle for a Vikings' corner kick. Off the corner, Szalai knocked the ball out to a Viking who misfired high, ending the possession.
North Central's game-winning goal came in the 71st minute as Joseph Sargent brought the ball up the field and into the attacking zone. When he entered the 18-yard box, Sargent got fouled from behind with nobody but the goalkeeper in front. The Cardinals were awarded a penalty kick, which was taken by Rijnja. Rijnja lined up the shot and ripped it to the top left of the net with his left foot to take the 2-1 lead.
The Vikings had numerous opportunities to respond with corner kicks coming in the 78th, 81st, and 82nd minutes but came up with nothing but shots off the mark in the offensive possessions. In the waning seconds of the match, two yellow cards were given, one to North Park and one to North Central's Sargent. With one second left, Szalai saved one final shot to certify the 2-1 victory over the Vikings.
French scored his seventh goal of the season, which is tied for fourth most in the CCIW, while Duncevic's assist marks his seventh of the year, as he is tied for second most in the conference and ranks in the top 50 in the nation. Rijnja's game-winning goal was the first of the season and the first game winner of his career. North Central had more shots on goal than North Park, winning the battle 6-5, while saves were deadlocked 4-4.
The Cardinals' final regular season game comes against Wheaton College on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in Wheaton at Joe Bean Stadium, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. The two programs have yet to lose a conference match this season.
