CHICAGO, Ill. -- The high octane and fast paced offense of the University of Chicago Maroons was in full effect from the very start of the match. The strategy heading into tonight's game for the Vikings was to "park the bus" defensively, meaning to really focus on defending the Maroon offense and then taking any offensive opportunities as they come.
Just over a minute of the match elapsed when junior forward Ella Cho for Chicago found senior midfielder Mary Stuart Kerrigan for the first score of the match, taking an early 1-0 lead over the North Park.
Despite loading the defensive end of the pitch, the Vikings did have some opportunities on the Maroon side of the pitch that were thwarted by some offside calls and the inability to string enough passes together to get a good look for a shot. Chicago posted an abundant 14 shots with 3 being on goal while North Park struggled, having taken only 1 shot by junior forward Caroline Sjøstedt that was blocked by the defender in front of her. The Vikings were behind only 2-0 at half to the now #6 ranked team in the nation.
Though the Maroons possessed the ball most of the second half and took an impressive 11 corner kicks, the Vikings' "park the bus" strategy boded well against an offense as good as Chicago's. North Park's defense held the Chicago offense that averages four goals a game to just two goals on four shots on goal, which ties their season low. Sjøstedt accounted for the Vikings' second shot on goal on a breakaway that the Chicago keeper saved, forcing it to roll just left of the Chicago goal.
With this loss, the Vikings move to 3-4 on the season, yet to play a conference game. North Park has two more home games left on this extended home streak, taking on Lake forest College next on Saturday, September 20th at 2pm. This will be followed by a match against University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Wednesday, September 24th at 7pm.
