ROCKFORD, ILL. - The Madison College women's soccer team avoided suffering their first loss of the season Friday with a 1-1 draw at Rock Valley College. The equalizer came in the game's final 20 minutes to keep the WolfPack, ranked  #3 in the latest NJCAA Division III Poll, in sole possession of first place in the North Central Community College Conference. The draw marks the first tie game in the eight-match history of the all-time series with the Golden Eagles, who were receviing votes in that same national poll.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the first 45 minutes, pushing a scoreless tie into the second half. Rock Valley College (5-2-2, 3-2-2) took the game's first lead with a goal in the 54' against WolfPack goalkeeper Brandie Gospodarek. The sophomore from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, has allowed just four goals through seven matches.

Despite a barrage of looks at the goal, Madison College was unable to solve the defensive and goaltending efforts of the Golden Eagles, until the match's 73'. Freshman midfielder Esther Noriega went in unassisted for a scoring strike, the sixth of the year for the New Glarus, Wisconsin, native. 

Over the course of the final 17 minutes of regulation and two ten-minute overtimes, the WolfPack continued to control the action in pursuit of a regular season sweep of RVC. They outshot the home team 10-3 during that span, including a 6-2 edge in shots on goal, and owned a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks. Rock Valley did not attempt a single shot during the overtime periods. In the end, the final shots tally favored Madison College by a 24-8 margin overall and 19-6 in shots on goal. The 'Pack also attempted an additional four corner kicks prior to tying the game.

Gospodarek finished with five saves over the 110 minutes after holding the Golden Eagles scoreless in the 1-0 season-opening win on August 30. Held without a goal, freshman Britt Schumann's impressive streak of multi-goal performances ends at five straight.

Up Next:

Madison College (6-0-1, 5-0-1) will enjoy a week off from game competition before playing five of its final seven games on the home turf of Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East, starting a Friday, September 29 against Harper College (5-4, 4-3). The WolfPack defeated the Hawks, 2-1, in Palatine, Illinois, earlier this month, and are 3-3-1 all-time against their N4C foes. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
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