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The Illinois Wesleyan womenâ??s soccer team had its home opener spoiled by Wartburg, falling 3-0 on Saturday, September 10, 2022, 2-1. (Photo by Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek)
Kodiak Creative
4
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU (3-1-2, 1-0-0)
0
Carthage CAR (0-4-4, 0-1-0)
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
(3-1-2, 1-0-0)
4
Final
0
Carthage CAR
(0-4-4, 0-1-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 3 1 4
Carthage CAR 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Women's Soccer Blank Carthage in First CCIW Win

Titans move to 1-0 in the CCIW

KENOSHA, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's soccer team opened College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play with a road win against Carthage College Saturday, Sept. 24. The Titans moved to 3-1-2 on the season and 1-0 in the conference, as the Firebirds slipped to 0-4-4 on the season and 0-1 in the CCIW.   

The Titans were led by fifth-year senior Caelyn Steffens (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) who notched three goals for a single-game season-high six points. That is the Normal, Ill. natives fourth-career hat trick, the last coming from a 3-1 win over Carroll last season Oct. 23. 

Steffens opened the scoring for the Green and White only four minutes and 17 seconds into the match to take an early 1-0 lead. Shortly after, around the 34 minute mark, senior Lauren Shanks (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) widened the deficit, scoring the Titans second, and her third goal of the season. After a stat correction, it was freshman Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) that fed Shanks the ball to give IWU a 2-0 advantage, marking White's first collegiate point. 

Steffens wasn't done yet, as the senior scored from just outside the 18-yard box to beat the Firebird keeper, and took a comfortable first-half 3-0 lead. 

Carthage got its best chance with a free kick just to the side of the 18-yard box, but it was cleared by the Titans' back line.

Shanks, with 30 seconds to go, sent a cross into the sweet spot of the six-yard box but could not connect as the half ended in favor of the Green and White, 3-0. 

IWU led the way in possession during the first 45 and outshot Carthage, 15-2 with seven shots on target. The Titan defense aided sophomore goalkeeper Kayla Borg (McHenry, Ill.-Cary Grove) and denied the Firebirds from getting a shot on frame. 

With 40 minutes to go in the second half, Shanks got on the end of a through ball but just missed a low shot wide. 

Still ahead by three, fifth-year senior Madison Fischer (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) and senior Jenna Li (Haslett, Mich.-Lansing Christian) combined for a give-and-go down the line that saw Fischer on the end of the ball. The Orland Park, Ill. native tried to find a Green and White jersey in the box but sent the ball out of bounds. 

At the 58 minute mark, the Firebirds' forward got Carthage's first shot on target but was stopped by Borg to keep the shutout alive. 

Fouled in the box with five minutes to go in the game, Steffens completed the hat trick at the penalty mark to send the Titans home with a 4-0 victory over Carthage. 

Borg registered her fourth solo-shutout of her career after making two saves in Kenosha, Wis. 

Offensively, IWU registered 30 shots with 12 on goal, and kept the Firebirds to seven shots with two on frame. 

In the CCIW, Illinois Wesleyan, North Central College, and Carroll University lead the league with a 1-0 conference record. Augustana and North Park tied to give the two squads a 0-0-1 standing. 

The Titans embark on a four-game stretch starting with a midweek matchup against Millikin University Wednesday, Sept. 28. The Titans will kick off at 7 p.m. at Neis Field. 
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