ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's soccer team are moving on in the NCAA Division III tournament as they defeated the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in overtime, 2-1. The victory sets up a rematch against the University of St. Thomas, where the Titans defeated the Tommies Sept. 21, 2-1, in their previous meeting this season.
This marks the ninth postseason out of 12 for IWU that they've won at least one game. A win tomorrow would mark only the third time ever that the Titans advanced past the opening weekend, achieving this in 2014 and 2015.
Junior Cameron Hindel (Batavia, Ill.-Batavia HS) put the Titans on the board first directly off a corner kick in the 42nd minute, in which IWU held that advantage going into halftime. IWU kept the 1-nil advantage for most of the second half until the Warhawks evened the score at the 78th minute.
In the extra period, sophomore Heather Dietrich (Geneseo, Ill.-Geneseo HS) scored the golden goal off a pass from fellow sophomore Rachel White (Naperville, Ill.-Waubonsie Valley HS) to advance the Titans in the tournament.
Hindel and Dietrich, along with seniors Ellie Crabtree (Springfield, Ill.-Edwardsville HS) and Flower Edington (Wilmette, Ill.-New Trier Township HS) tied for the team lead with two shots each. The Titans held a commanding 11 to one advantage in shots taken and drew seven corners to Whitewater's three.
Kickoff between Illinois Wesleyan and St. Thomas is scheduled for 1 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 17.