Milwaukee School of Engineering Wins NACC Title via Shootout

Stuart Field shootout ends title streak

Under the chill of nighttime skies at Stuart Field in Chicago, the Illinois Tech women’s soccer team saw its run toward a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference title slip away in a penalty shootout against the Milwaukee School of Engineering, illinoistechathletics.com reported.

The championship match ended in a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods. In the ensuing penalty shootout, the Raiders overcame an early 1–0 deficit to convert three attempts, securing a 3–2 advantage that claimed their second conference crown in four years.

Early goals set a tense tone

Action began on a sun-splashed afternoon as Illinois Tech tested the defense early. Tvesa Vathulya generated looks with shots at 5:20 and 17:27, while Clara Estiandan turned away an attempt from Shealan Biniam at 16:47. The Scarlet Hawks broke through at 30:50 when Eva Narvarte converted a penalty kick to open the scoring.

The lead proved short-lived. Following a stretch of four fouls between 36:05 and 39:22, Alexis Lugonzo capitalized on an assist from McKinley Collins to equalize for the Raiders at 40:04. The visitors pressed late in the first half with three shots and a corner kick before the whistle sounded at 1–1.

Overtime pressure yields no breakthrough

Offense slowed after halftime. Kayla Frassinelli forced a save from Raiders goalkeeper Teya Baxter at 55:19, and Vathulya sent an effort high moments later. Neither side broke the deadlock through regulation, despite a stop-start rhythm in the closing minutes that featured four fouls between 79:46 and 87:18.

Overtime brought tense chances for both sides. Estiandan handled a sharp on-frame bid from Lugonzo in the first extra session at 96:51. In the second overtime, Vathulya tested Baxter again at 100:46, Narvarte missed high, and Leyna Yonehara struck the top woodwork at 106:49, leaving the score knotted.

Decisive penalties seal Raiders crown

In the shootout, Narvarte converted for the Scarlet Hawks after Faith Papazoglou missed for the Raiders. Following makes from Kit Gormley and Biniam for MSOE and a response from Maddie Steele, both sides struggled to find the net in the fourth round. Hadleigh Ostrenga converted the fifth attempt for the Raiders, sealing the title after Illinois Tech missed its final try.

Statistical leaders for the Scarlet Hawks included Narvarte with a goal, two points, and two shots. Vathulya recorded five shots, and Estiandan tallied three saves while allowing one goal across 110 minutes in goal. For the Raiders, Lugonzo finished with a goal, four shots, and two points, Baxter stopped three shots in 110 minutes, and Collins provided the assist on the equalizer.

Scarlet Hawks finish season after conference title

The result leaves the Scarlet Hawks with a final overall record of 16–6–1 following their fourth consecutive NACC regular-season title. Meanwhile, the Raiders improved to 13–4–5, capturing the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship.

The Scarlet Hawks hold an 8–3–3 lifetime record against the Raiders, with both programs now sitting at 2–2 against one another in NACC tournament championship matches.