MVCC chills Chiefs in Region Title Match

MVCC chills Chiefs in Region Title Match

(Palos Hills, IL.) - For the fourth straight year Waubonsee Community College's women's soccer team's season came to a close on Moraine Valley Community College's field. The top-seeded, 16th-ranked and unbeaten Cyclones topped the Chiefs in the Region IV Division I Tournament Championship match once again, this time by a 4-1 score. Second-seeded Waubonsee finishes the season with a 17-3-1 record overall, with two of their three losses coming to the Cyclones (19-0-1). The Chiefs' 17 wins ties the 2011 team for second most in a season in program history, with only the 2010 team winning more matches with 18 that season. For Waubonsee it is their fourth straight runner-up finish to Moraine Valley, eighth straight loss to the Cyclones and sixth consecutive defeat on Moraine Valley's pitch. Waubonsee, which has reached the Region IV title game 10 times in the last 11 years, also has four Region Championships during that span. 

As far as Waubonsee's soccer programs are concerned, wind, rain and cold are becoming unmentionable four-letter words. Last week the men's team's season abruptly came to an end with inclement weather playing a factor in their upset loss to Oakton Community College. Although not as blustery, damp or chilly as that day, the conditions in the south suburbs still played a role and helped spell out a loss for the Chiefs. A far cry from what they encountered most of the season, the teams took to a wet field under overcast skies, a slight but steady breeze, occasional spritzing rain and temperatures in the mid-40's.  

Both teams had a couple prime scoring opportunities early on with no success. Moraine Valley eventually took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute of the first half when Brooke Janeczek centered a pass from the right side directly out in front of the Chiefs' net. Veronika Stafira then poked it in just out of the reach of a diving Tanner Prellberg for her 11th goal of the season. Ten minutes later the Cyclones grabbed control of the match with a second score as Karen Montova headed in a corner kick from Mairead Ruane. The Cylones carried that 2-0 lead into halftime as Waubonsee tried to regroup and find a way to get going offensively. However, with the wind at their backs in the second half the Cyclones were able to keep the pressure on Waubonsee's defense. Moraine Valley then added to their lead in the 68th minute when Janeczek got off a shot between a pair of Chiefs' defenders from five yards. The lightly struck ball from the left side appeared to be wide right of the goal, but was pushed back by the wind and richocheted off the far post and into the net.

When play resumed the Chiefs took the ball right at Moraine Valley's defense and Isabel Cerda drilled a shot past Cyclones' keeper Maribel Carmona from eight yards out to break the shutout just 0:12 later. The goal was Cerda's 32nd this fall, the fourth most in a single-season in Waubonsee women's soccer history. Unfortunately for the Chiefs that is as close as they would get as Moraine Valley tacked on a fourth score only four minutes later as Yesenia Perez headed the ball into the upper left corner off another corner kick. 

For the match Moraine Valley's balanced attack got off 26 shots, with nine being shots on goal while the Chiefs managed eight. Carmona was credited with six saves before leaving the contest due to injury with six minutes remaining. Prellberg recorded five saves in the loss for Waubonsee.

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