Andrew Donato winds up for ball entry vs Nebraska Wesleyan
Steve Woltmann
1
Ill. Wesleyan IWU (4-1-2, 0-0-1)
1
North Central (IL) NCC (6-2-2, 0-0-1)
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
(4-1-2, 0-0-1)
1
Final
1
North Central (IL) NCC
(6-2-2, 0-0-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1 0 1
North Central (IL) NCC 1 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Cardinals Open CCIW Play with 1-1 Draw Against Illinois Wesleyan

Contact: Rachel Balinao, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant, rabalinao@noctrl.edu  
Written by: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communications

Sept. 26, 2026 – Hosting its College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin opener, the North Central College men's soccer team endured a physical battle with the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans that ended in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes on Saturday afternoon. North Central moves to 6-2-2 overall and 0-0-1 in conference action while IWU sits 4-1-2, 0-0-1 CCIW, after today's contest.

Both goals came in the opening frame within five minutes of each other, but aggressive play continued throughout the remainder of the match, with the two teams combining for 38 fouls and four yellow cards.

Illinois Wesleyan attempted the first two shots of the contest but were unable to find their mark as one sailed high and the other was saved by Cardinal keeper Emerson Loyo-Reynaga, who was making his second career start. Loyo-Reynaga finished the afternoon with six saves. 

North Central was awarded a corner kick in the 14th minute, but the Cardinals were unable to convert on the entry as Javi Landin's shot went wide. 

The Cardinals had another close look in the 22nd minute when Marco Costabile took a point-blank shot, but the IWU keeper stepped in to make the save. 

Following an Illinois Wesleyan foul near midfield, Tim Chai sent in a free-kick entry to Andrew Donato, who dished it off to Joseph Sargent. Sargent chipped the ball into the top-left corner for a 1-0 lead just before the 24-minute mark. It marks Sargent's sixth goal of the season and Donato's second assist of the year.

The physicality continued into the second half as both teams battled for possession and opportunities. Loyo-Reynaga came up with saves on IWU attempts in the 48th, 68th and 81st minutes to keep the match deadlocked. 

North Central's best opportunity of the second half came in the 83rd minute when Landin put a shot on frame, but the Titans' Owen Boukalik made the save. Yael Chihuahua added another Cardinal opportunity in the 88th minute, but his shot was blocked as neither team could find the game-winning goal. 

The Titans finished with a 15-7 advantage in shots, including a 6-2 edge in the second half, while North Central held a 54% to 46% advantage in possession. Both teams earned four corner kicks. 

North Central is back at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 30 as the Cardinals host Edgewood University for a 7 p.m. nonconference match.
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