CHICAGO, Ill. -- #2 seed North Park Women's Soccer is set to host #6 seed Elmhurst University in the second-round of the CCIW conference tournament, the first tournament game in the Vikings' program history. North Park had a first-round bye as the second seed while Elmhurst faced off against #3 Carthage College in the first round on November 1st, where the Bluejays upset the Firebirds in penalty kicks, 6-5, to advance to their first-ever semifinals match.
Elmhurst had a successful regular season, going 12-5-3 overall, but struggled in CCIW play with a 3-4-1 record. They had three players earn all-conference nods this season with Lauren Nevins and Nora Simon being named to the All-CCIW 1st Team and Courtney Conlon named to the 2nd Team. Nevins racked up 13 total goals this season with 4 of those coming in conference games, while Simon and Conlon held down the stout Bluejay defense, allowing only .75 goals a game this season. When the Bluejays and the Vikings faced off it in the regular season it was North Park that walked away victorious with a 2-0 win where all-conference midfielders Hannah Björkegren and Sofia Svensson accounted for the Vikings' two goals.
But the regular season is over and the intensity rises when playoff time comes around and North Park Women's Soccer is hinging on a strong performance in their first-ever playoff match. After starting the season facing three top-25 teams in the country, the Vikings entered conference play already battled tested and showed they were a contender in this league after not receiving votes to make the top six in the preseason CCIW polls. Despite losing 15 seniors, they came out with six-straight conference wins to secure their spot in the tournament.
North Park, who earned its first-ever regional ranking earlier today, will look to continue their success in a second-round home match against the Bluejays, leaning on their All-CCIW players Caroline Sjøstedt, Sofia Svensson, Hannah Björkegren, and Maja Applequist, along with their keeper Paige MacRitchie. Sjøstedt led the Vikings with six assists in conference action, becoming the first Viking to lead the lead in the category, while Svensson was the First-Year Player of the Year after boasting a league-leading 8 goals and 17 points.
The second round match up between Elmhurst University and North Park is set to start at 7pm on Wednesday, November 5, at the Holmgren Athletic Complex.
