(Sugar Grove, IL) – The marquee NJCAA Division II women's soccer match-up in the country on Saturday was in Sugar Grove. Waubonsee Community College came in ranked seventh in the latest national poll, while South Suburban College entered the contest ranked fifth with a 13-game winning streak. In the end it was Waubonsee's relentless offensive attack that prevailed in the showdown between the two top teams in Region IV as the Chiefs (13-1-1) scored four times in the second half to grab a 4-0 victory in the regular season finale for both teams. The Bulldogs' (13-2) only previous loss was in their season opener when they fell to top-ranked Heartland Community College 4-2. Waubonsee's lone loss was to Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference foe Morton College 1-0 back on October 6. The two squads are likely to meet again soon as the Region IV Tournament begins late next week.

Four minutes into the match the Chiefs had two prime scoring opportunities with the McPherson twins teaming up twice within less than a minute. Olivia McPherson's 15-yard shot from the left wing hit the cross bar and ricocheted to the right side of the goal where her sister Kiara's rebound attempt went just wide of the right post. Not even a minute later the duo again came close to finding the back of the net. Another shot by Olivia from 12 yards out was deflected up into the air by the Bulldogs' keeper Ruby Rosalas, sailing to the far side of the net. Kiara headed the rebound, but the ball went just over the cross bar and on to the top of the goal.

The Chiefs kept putting pressure on the Bulldogs' defense throughout the first half with Rosalas thwarting shots on goal by Sarai Munoz and Lindsay Ferris. South Suburban's best scoring opportunities came in the final four minutes of the half. In the 41^st minute the Bulldogs got a free kick from 25 yards out in the middle of the field. However, the ensuing kick sailed well over the crossbar. With a minute left until the break a crossing pass was nearly tapped in on the far side, but the ball hit the post and bounded away.

Only four minutes into the second half Waubonsee finally broke the scoreless tie. A corner kick by Olivia McPherson sailed over a couple South Suburban defenders right to Munoz, where she was able to body the ball up in front of her. She quickly leaned forward and headed the ball in off a bounce from point blank range for the goal. The Chiefs then tacked on a second goal five minutes later when Kiara McPherson got ahead of the Bulldogs' defense streaking down the left side. She quickly lined a pass to the middle where her sister Olivia poked the ball out of midair and over the outstretched arms of Rosalas for her eighth goal of the season.

South Suburban nearly got on the board in the 60^th minute when Nyah Bejarano drilled a free kick from 30 yards out that hit the cross bar. The Chiefs kept on the attack and tallied a decisive third goal in the 70^th minute to garner some breathing room. Olivia McPherson lofted a perfect pass to far side of the goal where Katie Jones out leaped a Bulldogs' defender and headed the ball in for her 16^th goal of the season. Two minutes later the Chiefs put things out of reach with a fourth goal. Ferris launched a shot from 30 yards out that drifted to the upper right corner of the goal. Rosalas leaped, but was unable to stop the top-shelf ball from slipping through her hands.

Meanwhile, Waubonsee's defense, anchored by keeper Isabelle Harkleroad, kept the high powered Bulldogs off the scoreboard. South Suburban entered the day leading the nation in scoring with 93 goals in 14 matches, averaging nearly seven goals per game. In the 85^th minute a collision in the box resulted in a penalty kick for South Suburban, for their best scoring opportunity of the day. Amaris Gonzalez, the top scorer in the country with 33 goals coming into the match, lined up to take the penalty kick for the Bulldogs. But Harkleroad, who was recently named the NJCAA Division II women's Goal Keeper of the Week for the second time this season, made a diving stop to her right to preserve the shutout. For the match the Geneva High School product was credited with 14 saves, giving her an even 100 on the season, while recording her sixth shutout of the fall.

With the win Waubonsee secured the top seed in the upcoming Region IV Tournament, which begins on Sunday, October 31. The Chiefs opponent and time of the match have yet to be determined, but the game will be held at Waubonsee. The Semi-Finals of the tournament are set for Wednesday, November 3 with the championship match scheduled for Saturday, November 6. The winner will advance to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament beginning November 15 in Wichita, Kansas.