Contact: Taiah Gallisath-Poklop, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302. Story written by Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Oct. 10, 2026) – The North Central College women's soccer team overcame a late deficit in their homecoming contest on Saturday against College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin foe Carroll University. Baylee Burbidge scored a late winner to lift the Cardinals to a 3-2 win over the Pioneers.
North Central (10-0-1, 3-0-1 CCIW) took an early lead in the 20th minute. Kara Waishwell received a ball up the left flank and proceeded to play to the middle of the field just outside the box, where Victoria Jaimes made a touch to settle it and proceeded to fire a "BB" into the top-left bin.
The Cardinal lead did not hold for long, as Carroll (2-4-7, 1-1-1) earned an equalizer in the 25th minute. Carmella Nowack beat a North Central defender on the dribble and placed the ball into the right corner to tie the match 1-1.
The Pioneers built upon their momentum, taking the lead just three minutes later in the 28th minute. The Cardinals had an unsuccessful clearance attempt on a ball back into the box. It was intercepted by Madison Milhaupt, who, after having her first attempt blocked, found the back of the net.
That score would hold going into the half.
Carroll outshot North Central through the first 45 minutes, 11-7, while Cardinal goalkeeper Emma Megerle logged three saves.
North Central had a chance for an equalizer in the 52nd minute. Burbidge had a chance in the box after getting a feed in the box from the left flank, but her shot sailed high. A minute later, Claire Georgees had a shot at close range saved by the Pioneer goalkeeper to keep the visitors in the lead.
Around the 70th minute, the Cardinals appeared to have equalized the match after a free kick was redirected on a header by Waishwell into the back of the net, but after a discussion on the field between the officials, they ruled the play was offside, and the goal was disallowed.
Coach Andrew Gamarra's squad was left unfazed. Reese Anderson fired a shot that was blocked and came back to the foot of Anderson, who fired in a worm burner to tie the match in the 76th minute.
The Cardinal offensive onslaught continued. North Central outshot the Pioneers 13-1 in the second half, with good opportunities coming for Anderson, Carly Campbell and Burbidge after the equalizer.
North Central finally hit paydirt in the 85th minute. Madison DeVriendt lugged the ball down the left flank and flicked one towards the goal from a tough angle. Her ball hit the crossbar and deflected to the foot of Burbidge, who powered it into the top right corner to put the Cardinals up 3-2 with just five minutes to play.
The Cardinal defense played a successful game of keep-away for the ensuing five minutes, not allowing a shot from the Pioneers after the go-ahead goal by Burbidge, holding on to win the CCIW affair 3-2, improving to 3-0-1 in the table where they currently sit in first place by three points.
Coach Gamarra's team outshot their opponent 20-12, winning the shots-on-goal battle 10-5. Megerle recorded three saves in net, improving her record to 5-0-1 in between the woodwork.
The Cardinals, who received votes in the most recent coaches poll and entered the week with the No. 1 ranking in the first round of the NCAA's NPI rankings, take on North Park University on Wednesday in Chicago at 7 p.m.
