NAPERVILLE — The quarterfinal round of the 2025 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Women’s Soccer Championship delivered two dramatic finishes, as both advancing teams earned their semifinal berths through penalty kicks. 
 
Fifth-seeded Wheaton outlasted fourth-seeded Illinois Wesleyan on the road, prevailing 4-3 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw in Bloomington, while sixth-seeded Elmhurst stunned third-seeded Carthage in Kenosha, advancing 6-5 on penalties following another 1-1 deadlock. It’s the first time in league history both road teams advanced in the quarterfinal round.

In the semifinal round, Wheaton will travel to #1 North Central on Wednesday at 7 p.m., while Elmhurst will visit #2 North Park at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
 
#5 Wheaton tied #4 Illinois Wesleyan, 1-1 (Wheaton advances in PKs, 4-3)
Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday after two overtime periods at Neis Field in Bloomington. The defensive battle remained scoreless for nearly 70 minutes before Wheaton’s Olivia Martin broke through in the 70th minute. The Titans responded late, as Liza Wiley netted the equalizer in the 89th minute off an assist from Kayley Carew to force extra time.
 
Martin, Lily Lindquist, Cami Tofilon and Marissa Davis converted penalty kicks for the Thunder in the decisive shootout. Davis’s strike secured Wheaton’s advancement.
 
Bree Corday, Keira Robinson and Carew were successful in penalty kicks for the hosts.
 
IWU controlled much of the play, outshooting the Thunder 22-7 and posting a 12-6 edge in shots on goal. Wheaton goalkeeper Leah Roe notched 10 saves to preserve the result, while IWU’s Vanessa Gray stopped five shots.
 
#6 Elmhurst tied #3 Carthage, 1-1 (Elmhurst advances in PKs, 6-5)
In Kenosha, Elmhurst and Carthage tied 1-1 after 110 minutes. The scoring came in quick strikes early in the first half, as Carthage’s Maya Stone put the hosts ahead in the 21st minute with her first goal of the season. Elmhurst answered just three minutes later when Maddie Cummings notched her seventh goal of the year to even the match at 1-1 – a scoreline that would hold the rest of the way.
 
Both defenses tightened after the early exchange, limiting chances through the second half and two overtime periods. Elmhurst held a 13-9 edge in total shots, while both teams placed five on target. Fitzharris and CC’s Ainsley Stallworth each recorded four saves in full-match efforts. The Bluejays also held a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks but were unable to convert late opportunities.
 
The penalty-kick shootout reached seven rounds. After Erin Fitzharris of Elmhurst stopped Eve Hockerman, the Bluejays’ Celeste Chapa buried her opportunity to vault EU into the semifinal round. Kelli Coughlin, Nora Simon, Lauren Nevins, Megan Kleve and MaiLei Garcia also had successful tries in the shootout.