CHICAGO, Ill. -- North Park Women's Soccer (9-7, 6-1) dropped their last match against North Central (10-5, 7-0), locking into the #2 spot heading into the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament next week. The Vikings' final regular season game is this week against a good Carthage College team (7-6-4, 3-2-2). However if North Park can walk away victorious, alongside a North Central loss, they could earn a share of the CCIW title.
The Firebirds are 1-2-2 over their last five games, averaging 0.6 goals a game and allowing 1.6 goals per game defensively. While their offense hasn't been clicking recently, they still have the capability of putting some high score totals up, having scored 4 goals against Millikin and 7 goals against Illinois Wesleyan. Sophomore forwards Eve Hockerman and Emma Amberg are leading Carthage in goals as of now, both with 4 on the season, but the Firebirds aren't afraid to share the wealth. They have 11 different players with at least a goal this season, five players with at least 3 goals, and four players with at least 3 assists. On the defensive side they have been stingy all season, allowing just 1.5 goals per game in big part to their senior goalie Ainsley Stallworth who herself is allowing just .993 goals per game, good for 3rd in the CCIW. Her and Vikings keeper Paige MacRitchie are tied for 2nd in the conference in total saves with 75.
On the other side, North Park was shutout by the Cardinals for the first time in eight games as their offense has been rolling the last few weeks. This week, as they close out the regular season and prepare for their first taste of conference tournament play as a program, the Vikings look to get right back on track offensively. North Park will likely try the aggressive approach against Carthage Wednesday, after only posting 9 shots against North Central, trying to get Sofia Svensson and Caroline Sjøstedt involved early. Despite the three goals against a good Cardinals offense, MacRitchie still logged five crucial saves that allowed the Vikings to stay within striking distance for most of the game. MacRitchie is allowing just 1.5 goals per game this season, sitting at 5th in the CCIW in that category right behind Stallworth. With MacRitchie and the Firebirds' Stallworth manning the nets for these teams, both offenses will be challenged this week trying to score on these two goalies, as doing so has been at a premium this season.
North Park travels to Kenosha, Wisconsin to take on Carthage on Wednesday, October 29th. The match will begin at 7pm.
