NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The 2026 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Women’s Soccer Tournament championship match was decided on penalties on Saturday afternoon, with Elmhurst University (14-4-2) claiming its first-ever conference title and NCAA Division III Tournament berth with a 1-1 draw against North Central College (15-0-2) before winning the shootout over the Cardinals, 4-3, in seven rounds at NCC’s Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

Elmhurst came into the match with 14 shutouts on the season and the early portion of the match seemed to play into that storyline as the Bluejays quieted the potent North Central offense and didn’t allow a shot on goal until the 31st minute from the home side. Though the match began to open up as it headed toward halftime, it was still scoreless at the break.

In the opening minutes of the second half, North Central’s Madison DeVriendt sent a warning with a shot on goal that required a tough save out of Elmhurst’s Erin Fitzharris to keep the match level. Two minutes later, DeVriendt ended up with the assist on a corner kick that Baylee Burbidge headed in on goal. Though Elmhurst had a player guarding the post, the ball took an in-between hop and ended up rolling in to stake the Cardinals to a 1-0 advantage.

Though that goal was unconventional, it would only get stranger in the 59th minute as Elmhurst equalized through Lauren Nevins. With the ball trickling back toward North Central’s Emma Megerle in the 18-yard box, Nevins rushed at the goalkeeper and poked the ball out of her grasp and into the open net to level things at 1-1.

Neither team could break the tie through the remaining half-hour of regulation and each managed only one shot on goal apiece in the extra 20 minutes of overtime, sending the championship to penalties to determine the CCIW champion.

For the second straight match, Elmhurst brought backup keeper Sequoia Ross into the match in place of Fitzharris for the shootout and it paid dividends right away as Ross saved the opening shot from Jordan Lange. An immediate miss by Kelli Coughlin kept the shootout at 0-0 after the opening round, but the next three takers all converted for each team, making it 3-3 heading into the fifth round.

After DeVriendt hit the crossbar with her attempt, Courtney Conlon had a chance to win it for Elmhurst but Megerle came up with a clutch save to move the shootout into a sudden-death sixth round. Following a miss from NCC’s Taitym Voth, Elmhurst’s Emily Herlihy had a shot saved by Megerle again to keep the Cardinals alive. Moving to the seventh round, North Central’s Claire Georgees hit the post and was unable to put the Cardinals back in front. The third time proved to be the charm for the Bluejays as Anna Norstrom tucked her shot into the corner and provided the difference on a day where the two teams could barely be separated. 

Fitzharris made seven saves on the afternoon for Elmhurst, while Nevins led the offense with four shots. For North Central, Megerle made two saves and the trio of DeVriendt, Lange, and Kara Waishwell all ended with four shot attempts.

While Elmhurst can watch on Monday knowing its name will be called, North Central will wait and hope that its unbeaten record is enough to earn the Cardinals and the CCIW a second team into the field of 64. The NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Tournament Selection Show will begin on Nov. 9 at 10:30 a.m. CT. The opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament will be played on Nov. 14-15, with host sites to be named during the selection show.

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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).