Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Assistant Director of Athletics Communication; story written by Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Sept. 13, 2026) – The North Central College women's soccer team celebrated Senior Day on Sunday before its non-conference match against Centre College. The program honored its nine seniors (Lauren Richards, Mia Loza, Gabriella Mattio, Megan Michels, Chandlar Lay, Madison DeVriendt, Caroline Wallace, Grace Moote, and Jordan Lange) before blanking Centre 3-0 to remain undefeated in the young season.
The Cardinals controlled every aspect of the contest, outshooting Centre (2-1-2) 19-6, with seven of the Cardinals' shots going on goal. North Central goalkeeper Lily Mattison only faced one shot and answered the bell with a save.
North Central (4-0) got on the board early. The Cardinals played the ball into the Centre box, where goalkeeper Madeline Redmon came out to play it. Mattio did not give up on the play, continuing to follow the ball into the box. Redmon, near the edge of the box, misplayed the loose ball, allowing Mattio to take one touch to get tighter to the open net before sending it home to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute.
10 minutes later, the Cardinal offense threatened again. Kara Waishwell sent a beautiful ball into the area for Baylee Burbidge. Burbidge fired a shot on goal, but was denied by a sprawling Redmon.
North Central remained relentless, however, generating another chance in the 24th minute. The Cardinals had a promising possession developing in the box when Centre was called for a handball, giving North Central a penalty kick opportunity.
Lange, who was a perfect 2-for-2 in PK chances entering the contest, tickled the twine for her third PK goal in as many tries, giving North Central a 2-0 lead.
Lange wasn't done yet.
Victoria Jaimes sent a pass Lange's way to get her into space. Lange, who was 27 yards out, sent a strike barreling on goal. The ball took one sharp hop into the net, putting the Cardinals up 3-0 in the 30th minute thanks to Lange's fifth goal of the season.
While the Cardinals did not score in the second half, they did keep up the pressure, controlling the ball for the majority of the half and the contest. Lay had a look at goal that was saved, while Burbidge hammered a shot from distance that rattled off the crossbar.
Lange led the team in shots on goal with three. Mattio, Lay, Waishwell and Burbidge also notched a shot on goal each. Jaimes' assist on Lange's second goal was the lone assist of the contest.
Lange, who has already recorded 13 points through three matches, is on pace to finish the regular season with 52 points, a mark that would sit as the third-most points in a single season in program history behind Elle Sutter's 68-point (2024) and 60-point (2023) seasons.
The Cardinals used 25 unique players in the contest, with both teams combining to use 51 different student-athletes.
North Central finishes its season-opening five-match homestand on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
