MADISON, WISC. - The final regular season home match for the Madison College men's soccer brought some early drama; however, the #14-ranked WolfPack overcame an early goal to defeat Region 4 foe Joliet Junior College by a 4-2 final at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East. The win keeps the Pack undefeated on the season, which included a 9-0-1 record on the home turf, as all as improved their current win streak against the Wolves to 19-12-4 with 11 consecutive wins. Prior to the match, the ten-member Sophomore Class of 2025 was recognized, a group that includes Lukas Dogru, JJ Espinosa, Dan Fox, Junior Guerrero, Rodrigo Lasso, Hudson Nielsen, Geo Prado, Cole Rogers, Tristian Steinhoff, and Jacob Unger.

With the match barely two minutes old, Joliet Junior College (7-5-3) played the ball into the Madison College penalty area, where it was deflected and then kicked with a sliding attempt by JJC into the goal for a 1-0 lead.

The WolfPack would respond eight minutes later with the equalizer from Guerrero as the home team demonstrated how quickly they can turn defense into offense. Lasso controlled a loose ball on the defensive end and sent a long pass down field for Nielsen. A Wolves defender headed the ball towards the goal line and Nielsen tracked it down to send a pass to Guerrero. The native of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, kicked the ball into the goalkeeper, who then watched it roll across the line for a goal. It's the third goal of the season and first since September 10.



Perseverance led to the go-ahead goal in the 14' for Madison. Fox fed a pass to Guerrero cutting towards the net, but a collision with a JJC defender forced the forward to pass it back to a trailing Lasso. One on one with the goalkeeper, Lasso's first shot was denied and sent back to him, and the second year midfielder took advantage with a second attempt that found the net. Like Guerrero, the goal is Lasso's third this year and first since September 10.

The 26' brought yet another scoring opportunity for Madison as Lasso came up with a steal of a Wolves throw-in. He attacked the net before dropping an assist to a wide open Josh Kiltz, who blasted his fourth goal of the year past the 'keeper. 

A successful penalty kick in the 31' for Joliet Junior College closed the differential to 3-2 heading into halftime. Less than two minutes into the second half, the WolfPack got it back, again turning defense into offense with a steal just past midfield. Rogers delivered a perfect pass ahead to Nielsen, and the Huntley, Illinois, native, won a foot race to the ball, beating a defender and the goalkeeper. After tapping it past the GK, he finished off the goal with a swift kick near the goal line for his seventh scoring strike in 2025.



Madison College posted a 16-8 advantage in total shots and a 10-8 lead in shots on goal. They also earned the only three corner kicks of the match. Nielsen led the WolfPack with all four of his shots being put on goal.

Freshman goalkeeper Caylen Coventry registered season-high six saves in the win. 

Up Next:

Madison College (12-0-1) will finish the regular season with back-to-back Region 4 road matches, the first of which is Sunday, October 19 at the College of DuPage (8-3-2). The WolfPack have won 11 straight and are 13-0-2 in the last 15 meetings with the Chaparrals. The all-time series favors the Pack by a 19-12-4 margin. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and can be streamed live via Hudl.

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