Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communications, 630-637-5302
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Sept. 26, 2026) – The No. 16 North Central College women's soccer team opened the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin slate on Saturday by hosting the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans at Bennedetti-Wehrli Stadium. The Cardinals came back from a pair of one-goal deficits to earn a 2-2 draw and a point in the standings table.
It marks the first draw by the Cardinals since the 2024 season: a CCIW Tournament match against Carroll University that was decided on penalty kicks. It's the first regular-season draw featuring North Central since a 2022 match against Augustana College.
Illinois Wesleyan (4-0-5, 0-0-1 CCIW) put the pressure on early, having a clean break in the fifth minute, but Cardinal keeper Emma Megerle stepped up to make the save. Just a minute later, IWU was awarded a free kick that the Titans converted for the first goal of the match.
North Central (7-0-1, 0-0-1) notched its equalizer in the 14th minute when Lily Mayer was fouled in the box, granting the Cardinals a penalty kick. Reese Anderson converted the attempt, scoring her second goal of the season, and her first from the dot in as many tries.
While the teams drew even at one in the first half, the Cardinals outshot the Titans 8-4, while Megerle collected two saves. North Central earned a pair of corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes of play and conceded none. Illinois Wesleyan committed less fouls in the first half (and in the contest), committing just three in the first half (eight overall), while the Cardinals were tabbed with five first half fouls (17 in the match).
Illinois Wesleyan opened the scoring in the second half, scoring again in the 53rd minute with a high shot out of reach for Megerle to take a 2-1 lead.
A physical second half ensued as North Central battled for yet another equalizer. The Cardinals fired 15 shots in the second half alone, earning five second-half corner kicks along the way.
North Central found its answer in the 69th minute.
Victoria Jamies dribbled into space and ripped a shot from range, tickling the twine for the first time this season and knotting the match at two apiece.
The ensuing 21 minutes of play featured a flurry of chances for both the Cardinals and the Titans, with neither team able to convert. The Cardinals' best chance came off Mayer's foot, but she was denied at point-blank range.
The Cardinals outshot Illinois Wesleyan 23-11 in the contest, but the Titans held the edge in shots on goal (7-3).
Baylee Burbidge led the team in shots with five, while three Cardinals each registered a shot on goal (Anderson, Jaimes and Gabriella Mattio). Megerle registered five saves in net in the contest, moving to 2-0-1 on the campaign.
North Central turns its attention to a top-25 matchup this Wednesday. The Cardinals will travel to Chicago to take on No. 3 University of Chicago at 4 p.m.
