CHICAGO, Ill. (naccsports.org) --- Top-seeded Illinois Institute of Technology overcame an early deficit to defeat No. 2-seeded Milwaukee School of Engineering, 3-1, Saturday in the championship match of the 2025 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Women's Soccer Tournament at Stuart Field.
It is the second NACC Tournament title in succession for Illinois Tech (19-1-1), which was in the tournament championship match for the fifth straight year. It was also the third straight meeting between Illinois Tech and MSOE in the final.
The Raiders (13-7-2) struck first in the rubber match, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute on an unassisted goal by
Claire Bradford. Bradford won the ball off an errant Illinois Tech pass near midfield, then chipped the ball into the goal from 35 meters out over the head of Scarlet Hawk goalkeeper
Kayla Hampton. Hampton had moved off the end line in an attempt to cut down the shooting angle of the streaking Bradford.
Mary Frampton provided the equalizer for the Scarlet Hawks in the 26th minute with a successful penalty kick after
Grace Yager drew a foul inside the box.
Illinois Tech took the lead in the 38th minute, converting off a
Kayla Smith corner kick when a high, arching header by
Eva Navarte found its way over the outstretched hands of MSOE goalkeeper
Page Sanchez.
Smith made it 3-1 in the 54th minute with a goal of her own, streaking into the box and one-touching a
Leyna Yonehara service past Sanchez.
Forced to play from behind early on in the contest, Illinois Tech finished with a 20-3 advantage in shots, including 12-1 in the second half and 13-3 in shots on goal. The Scarlet Hawks also finished with 12 corner kicks to MSOE's two.
Sanchez faced pressure all day and made 10 saves. Hampton made two saves for Illinois Tech after giving up the early goal.
Twelve different Scarlet Hawks recorded a shot, led by four from
Gabriella Baltes.
Tvesa Vathulya added three shots, as did
Avery Sealey off the bench.
Bradford,
Elizabeth Kuhn, and
Kit Gormley accounted for MSOE's three shots in the contest.
With the victory, Illinois Tech also earns the NACC's automatic berth in the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship. The full field and regional assignments will be unveiled at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10, on a selection show at NCAA.com. Last season, the Scarlet Hawks advanced to the Round of 16 before falling to Amherst.
2025 NACC Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team
Kayla Smith, sr., F, Illinois Tech (MVP)
Gabriella Baltes, sr., D, Illinois Tech
Kelly Hitchcock, gr., F/MF, Illinois Tech
Mary Frampton, sr., D, Illinois Tech
Elizabeth Kuhn, sr., MF/F, MSOE
Faith Papazoglou, jr., MF, MSOE
Page Sanchez, sr., GK, MSOE
Tia Garr, so., MF, Dominican
Meghan Wilhite, jr., F, Dominican
Rylee Brotz, sr., F/MF, Edgewood
Kamy Luecke, sr., F/MF, Edgewood
Melina Cane, sr., GK, Aurora
Brie Rozmiarek, sr., MF, Concordia Wisconsin
Sofia Vizcarra, so., MF, Marian
Ginny Shade, so., MF, Wisconsin Lutheran
Selected by the participating coaches