Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Gavin Smith Against North Central on Oct. 22, 2022
2
Ill. Wesleyan IWU (6-8-2, 3-5-0)
3
Winner North Central (IL) NCC (13-0-4, 6-0-1)
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
(6-8-2, 3-5-0)
2
Final
3
North Central (IL) NCC
(13-0-4, 6-0-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1 1 2
North Central (IL) NCC 2 1 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Men’s Soccer Suffers Crucial Loss to No. 23 North Central

Smith tallied three points on the afternoon

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team wrapped up the program's 2022 regular season slate by making the trek to Naperville, Ill. to take on the 23rd ranked North Central College Cardinals, Saturday, Oct. 22 inside of Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. After NCC jumped to a 2-0 lead, WU tied the contest at two in the second half, but the Cardinals tallied the game-winner in the 68th minute to escape with the 3-2 victory. 

The Cardinals remain undefeated as their record climbed to 13-0-4 (6-0-1 CCIW), while IWU finished the season 6-8-2 (3-5-0 CCIW) with the setback.   

The Cardinals quickly cracked the scoreboard in the 14th minute to snag the 1-0 advantage. NCC doubled its cushion in the 22nd minute to race out to the 2-0 lead.

However, the Titans cut the deficit in half as junior Gavin Smith (Seattle, Wash.-Eastside Preparatory School) intercepted a Cardinal pass, then turned his defense into offense by quickly scoring after the caused turnover as the score stood at 2-1 in the 34th minute.

The final 11 minutes of the first half proved to be uneventful as team's went into the intermission break with NCC clinging to a 2-1 lead.

The Cardinals manufactured nine shots (three on goal), while IWU totaled three shots (two on goal) in the first half of action. The Titans were awarded the only corner chance of the half.

IWU utilized the halftime intermission to dial up some pressure. The aggressive play paid dividends as the Green and White erased the early 2-0 deficit to knot the score at two in the 59th minute. Smith won a one-on-one challenge inside of the 18, dished a pass to sophomore Logan Schumaker (Decatur, Ill.-Mount Zion), who notched his second goal of the season. This helper marked Smith's third three-point affair of the 2022 campaign.

NCC utilized a set piece in the 68th minute to retake the lead, 3-2. 

The Titans had a prime opportunity to tie the score in the 81st minute as IWU sustained pressure that led to a freshman Joshua Cox (Encinitas, Calif.-Canyon Crest Academy) shot in the 18-yard box. The shot was sent high right as the chance was thwarted for a NCC goal kick.

The Cardinals hung on from there, defeating the Titans, 3-2.

North Central held the lead in shots (19-6), shots on goal (8-4), and corner chances (3-1).

Schumaker and Smith led the team with two shots each. Junior Davis Quarles (Naperville, Ill.-Metea Valley) and Cox were each credited with one shot. 

Freshman Sam Kedzior (Cary, Ill.-Cary Grove) earned his ninth-straight start between the posts for the Titans. Kedzior played all 90 minutes and recorded five saves. 

The Green and White's season comes to a close with the setback, as Carroll defeated Augustana to eliminate IWU from postseason play.

 
Print Friendly Version