MADISON, WISC. - For the third time in five year, the Madison College women's soccer team is the NJCAA Region 4 Division III Women's Soccer Tournament Champions after shutting out second-seeded Harper College in a 3-0 match on Saturday at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East. The top-seeded WolfPack, who earned Region 4 titles in 2017 and 2019, were making their fifth straight championship match appearance after advancing through the semifinal with a forfeit win over fourth-seeded Illinois Valley Community College. Freshman defender Sydney Maksymo was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player, while Matt Schwartz was awarded Region 4 Coach of the Year for the third time.

Madison College took a 1-0 lead in the 21' with what proved to be the game-winning goal by freshman midfielder Alexis Kulow. The seventh goal of the season - and second game-winning goal - for the DeForest, Wisconsin, native was assisted by sophomores Monica Tapia-Gutierrez and Angelina Perez. The score remained 1-0 through the remained of the first half. 

The second half saw the WolfPack pad their lead with a pair of goals in the 61' and 71' to solidify the championship. Perez, an All-American forward/midfielder, posted the first goal on an assist from Tapia-Gutierrez for her team-leading 17th scoring strike of the season. That places the former Madison East HS athlete in a tie for ninth nationally. Perez then assisted on the final scoring tally that came off the foot of second year forward/midfielder Elizabeth Foye. It's the fifth goal for the native of Poynette, Wisconsin.



Defender Sydney Maksymo helped key an effort that limited the Harper College (4-4) attack to just three shots on goal over the full 90 minutes. Freshman Karmen Smyth made her first career start in goal and registered three saves in earning her first career win and shutout. Madison College racked up six total shots, with Kulow leading the way by creating three of them. 

Madison College is now 10-4-1 all-time against Harper College, including wins in three straight meetings. The WolfPack also beat the Hawks in the 2017 postseason. 



Up Next: 

Madison College (8-4-1) advances to and will host the NJCAA Great Lakes District Tournament on Friday & Saturday, October 29 & 30 at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East. The WolfPack will open against Region 13 winner Rochester Community & Technical College (9-2) in a semifinal match at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams split a home-and-home series this season, with the road team winning each time. The other semifinal will pit Region 12 winner and defending NJCAA champion Delta College (14-0) against Region 4 runner-up Harper College (4-4) at 4:30 p.m. The winners will play Saturday at 3:00 p.m. for an automatic berth in the 2021 NJCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championships in Batavia, New York, from November 11-14.

Watch all three games live at MadisonCollege.tv.

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