CHICAGO, Ill. -- A semifinal round of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Women's Soccer tournament kicked off tonight as the #2 seed North Park Vikings hosted the #6 seed Elmhurst University Bluejays. The Vikings came away victorious, taking down the Bluejays 2-1 to advance to their first-ever CCIW championship match.
This being North Park's first taste of tournament play in program history, having a bye in the first round allowed them to get healthy and prepare. On the other hand, having never experienced this type of game provided some pressure as well. However, it was the Vikings who struck first when junior forward Emilie Østlyngen fired a shot from 23 yards out that ricocheted off the Bluejay keeper Erin Fitzharris' hands to the crossbar and into the net. This was Østlyngen's first goal of the season, giving North Park the early 1-0 lead in the 6th minute of the match.
Ten minutes later the Bluejays' Lauren Nevins and Emilly Herlihy streamed together passes to get Katelyn Guolla her first goal of the season and tie the match at 1-1. Neither team would find the back of the net for the rest of the half, going into the break all tied up.
The Vikings came out aggressive in the second half, controlling the pace for the first twenty minutes of play. On a corner kick set in the 65th minute, North Park put together an All-CCIW trifecta as 2nd Teamer Maja Applequist sent in the corner shot to a sea of Vikings crowding the box, only for the CCIW Newcomer of the Year Sofia Svensson to head it over to fellow 1st Teamer Caroline Sjøstedt for the goal from point blank range.
With a 2-1 lead the Vikings kept the pressure on the Bluejays offensively while making some big defensive stops as Elmhurst turned to desperation to try and even the score. The Bluejays ripped 8 total shots with 5 being on goal, but it was Viking keeper MacRitchie and the back line who stepped up in a big way after Elmhurst's lone goal.
MacRitchie ended tonight's match with four saves, notching two in each half.
North Park walked away with a 2-1 victory, notching their first CCIW tournament win in program history and punching their ticket to their first CCIW Championship in the process.
North Park will make the short trip to Naperville, Illinois to take on North Central College in the championship after the Cardinals won their semifinal match against Wheaton, 4-0. The CCIW Women's Soccer Championship game will take place at North Central's Benedetti-Wehrli Field at 5pm.
