ELGIN, ILL. - Through 45 minutes of Saturday's NJCAA Region 4 Division III Women's Soccer Championship, things were shaping up nicely for Madison College to earn it's third region title and second trip to the national tournament. Forty-five minutes later, it was a completely different story as top-seed and host Elgin Community College rallied for a 5-4 defeat of the second-seeded WolfPack. The loss brought the 2020 season being played in the spring of 2021 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic to an end with a 4-4 record.

Madison College sent an early message to the Spartans, who had shut out the WolfPack in a 3-0 win in Elgin on April 12, with a goal in the 13' by first year forward/midfielder Elizabeth Foye. The scoring strike was her fifth of the year and came off an assist from fellow freshman Angelina Perez. Elgin Community College tied the score 20 minutes later, beating 'Pack goalkeeper Marin Stauffacher for the first time in the game with a 35' goal. Foye, a Poynette, Wisconsin, native, took a Monica Tapia-Gutierrez pass and sent it to the back of the net just two-and-a-half-minutes later that gave Madison College a 2-1 lead at the half.

The second half saw the Spartans net four straight goals to take a 5-2 lead. The equalizer came less than five minutes into the half, and a 57' goal put ECC ahead for good. They added insurance goals in the 67' and 74' minute, that last of which proved to be the game-winner. With less than ten minutes left, Madison College made a last-ditch effort to keep their season alive and scored in the 84' when Tapia-Gutierrez fed Perez for her team-leading eighth goal of the season. Tapia-Gutierrez found herself on the receiving end of a scoring opportunity when Foye set her up and she converted for the sixth time this spring. The goal brought the 'Pack within a goal of tying, however, it would also mark final shot attempt of the game.

Foye established new career-highs with two goals and five points, while Tapia-Gutierrez, a Madison, Wisconsin, native, tallied four points with a goal and two assists. Both players registered four shots on goal, one less than Perez with five shots on goal and three points.

Madison College generated 19 total shots and put 13 shots on goal, dominating the Spartans in both categories as the home team had eight total shots and five on goal. Unfortunately, Stauffacher did not record a save, while the home goalkeeper had nine saves.

Madison College is 6-3-1 all-time against the Spartans, and 2-1 in postseason meetings.

Elgin Community College (4-4) advances to the NJCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championships in Cranford, New Jersey, from June 2-5.

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