CHICAGO, Ill. -- The Vikings were back home tonight for the first time in five games as they looked to get back in the win column while also celebrate their seniors on Senior Night. North Park is graduating eight seniors this season: forward Caroline Sjøstedt midfielder Maja Applequist, midfielder Selma Rydberg, defender Greta Lampen, midfielder Kajsa Bergwall, forward Emilie Østlyngen, midfielder Hannah Björkegren, and midfielder Amara Olivas.
It was nothing but North Park from the opening kick as they controlled possession for most of the first half of play, firing off an impressive 14 total shots with 9 of those being on target (64%). Coe and North Park were virtually even when it came to corner kicks, shooting 6 and 7 respectively, while the Vikings were able to log three first half goals on four assists. The Vikings broke through in the 26th minute when Caroline Sjøstedt controlled the ball off a Coe corner kick, she then sent it ahead to Maja Applequist who made a great lead pass to Sofia Svensson who finished off the breakaway with a goal on the right side of the net for the 1-0 lead. Svensson sent in her second goal of the day from about 25 yards out less than ten minutes after her first one, to give the Vikings a quick 2-0 lead.
With 11 seconds left to play in the first half, Sjøstedt sent in a cross that was headed by Lily Cerjak right to the feet of Amara Olivas who capped off the first 45 minutes with the Vikings' third goal of the match.
Right out of halftime North Park wasted no time keeping the pressure on the Kohawks. Svensson pushed their lead to 4-0 within the first three minutes of play, completing the hat trick and giving Sjøstedt her third assist of the day.
Svensson continued her success with her fourth goal in the 65th minute on another shot from 25 yards out, extending the Viking advantage to 5-0.
With the ten second countdown in effect, North Park was awarded a free kick from 28 yards out where Sjøstedt sent in the sixth goal of the match and her first score of the season cap off her three assist game, securing North Park's 6-1 victory.
Both Svensson and Sjøstedt entered themselves into the North Park Women's Soccer history books this evening as Svensson notched the fourth multi-goal game of her career and became just the third player to score four goals in a game for the Vikings. Sjøstedt's three assists tonight is the third time she has reached that mark, and is the only Viking to reach that milestone in program history. As a team, North Park put 16 shots on goal which is the second highest total since 2022 seeing eight players put at least one shot on goal and four players with at least two.
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What's Next?
North Park improves their record to 3-4-1 with just one more game before CCIW play. The Vikings will have a few days rest before their next game on the road Wednesday, September 23rd at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse who is currently the #12 ranked team in the nation, providing another difficult opponent for the Vikings.
