RIVER FOREST, ILL. – The Concordia University Chicago women's soccer team took the home field to kick off Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play, where they downed the Rockford University Regents 1-0. The Cougars picked up their first win of the season in a dominating fashion that saw a lot of different playmakers in the process.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Erika Flores (Oxnard, Calif.) led the charge on the day with nine total shots, five of which were on goal, and was responsible for the lone Cougar goal of the day.
- Mia Hirayama (Mililani, Hawaii) and Julia Urbanczyk (New Lenox, Ill.) each tallied five shots on the day with three and four of which were on goal, respectively.
- Six other Cougars tallied shots on goal on the day, bringing CUC to 24 shots on goal and 50 total shots.
- Two keepers saw action in the net with Brooke Sheriff (Simi Valley, Calif.) and Katelyn Wagner (Lagrange, Ky.) splitting the day, but the lockdown defense made for an easy day in the goal as both keepers faced no shots.
FIRST HALF
- The Cougars came out firing in the opening half, dictating the tempo and putting the Regents on their heels from the very first whistle. The Cougars peppered the Regents' goalkeeper with relentless pressure as shots from Hirayama, Flores, and Angelina Barreno (Chicago, Ill.) tested the defense early. Rockford's keeper kept the score line close, with multiple key saves, but could only stand against the raging Cougar offense for so long.
- In the 18th minute, CUC broke through when Flores buried a shot into the back of the net off a crisp assist from Alexa Martinez (), giving the Cougars a well-earned 1-0 advantage. From there the Cougars continued to dominate possession, creating corner after corner and seeing more chances from Hirayama, Grace Chavez (Morgan Hill, Calif.), and Quetzalli Arteaga-Vasquez (Harrisonburg, Va.) narrowly miss or get turned away.
- Despite Rockford's efforts to disrupt the rhythm with fouls and defensive blocks, the Cougars' depth shined with productive substitutions, keeping the attack fresh and aggressive. Heading into the half, CUC had firmly established control with the 1-0 lead and set the stage for a strong second half.
SECOND HALF
- The Cougars carried their first-half momentum into the second period, dominating the Regents with wave after wave of shots. The Cougars wasted no time getting forward as Urbanczyk and Flores each tested the defense within the opening minutes of the half. Despite the Rockford keeper making tough saves, CUC's relentless pressure kept the Regents pinned deep in their own end.
- Presley Alvarado (Oxnard, Calif.), Sofia Cazares (Rockford, Ill.), and Lorenza Mendoza (Murrieta, Calif.) added to the barrage of shots while substitutions kept the Cougars' attack fresh and dynamic. CUC earned multiple corners and saw near misses, including a rocket from Natalie Flores (Placentia, Calif.) that clanged off the woodwork in the 82nd minute, coming inches away from doubling the lead.
- Even with a couple of cautions picked up in the late goings of the game, the Cougars never lost their composure, continuing to dictate the pace and smother any Rockford push. By the final whistle, the Cougars had outshot the Regents by a wide margin, proving their dominance on both ends of the field.
The Cougars will be back in action on Sunday as they host Milwaukee School of Engineering for a 1:00pm kickoff. Coverage and updates can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
