(Sugar Grove, IL) – The 2022 season came to a close for Waubonsee Community College's women's soccer team as 12^th ranked Bryant & Stratton College from Wisconsin downed the Chiefs 3-1 in the Region 4 Division II Tournament Semi-finals. The Bobcats (13-1) outshot the Chiefs 21-11 overall as the Chiefs (9-7) ran out of gas in the second half, preventing them from reaching the tournament's title game for the 13^th time in the last 15 years. Bryant & Stratton now advances to the Region 4 title game and will face the winner between 13^th ranked South Suburban College (11-3-1) and the College of Lake County (4-7-2), the tournament's Cinderella team.

In the first few minutes of the match both teams got shots on goal that were easily snagged by their keepers. Waubonsee nearly broke through in the 12^th minute of action when Arizbeth Sanchez unleashed a line shot from 25 yards out that went just wide left of the net. A minute later the Chiefs' did get on the scoreboard first. Ashleigh Wackerlin took a pass from Sanchez and got through the Bobcats' defense, drilling a shot past keeper Greta Harms and into the left corner of the net for her 12^th goal of the season.

The Bobcats nearly pulled even in 28^th minute when a foul on Waubonsee gave Bryant & Stratton a free kick from just outside of the box on the right wing. However, the ensuing shot on goal was swiftly knocked away just in front of the goal by a streaking Julissa Valtierrez. A moment later the Chiefs got a free kick just across midfield. Sanchez once again unleashed a long line shot kick that almost sailed over Harms' head. The Bobcats keeper barely got a hand on the ball which then ricocheted off the cross bar and out in front of the goal. Waubonsee's Madison Stevens followed up the rebound with a shot that Harms was able to corral and keep the Chiefs from adding to their lead.

Bryant & Stratton stepped up their attack from that point on. In the 33^rd minute Chiefs' keeper Paige MacRitchie made a diving stop of a close in shot by Lina Morillo, one of her four saves in the half, to keep Waubonsee ahead. But Bryant & Stratton was able to knot the score in the final minute of the first half when Heliamar Alvarado out leaped two Waubonsee defenders on a high bouncing ball. The native of Yaracuy, Venezuela was able to head a shot into the goal from point blank range as the half ended deadlocked at one.

Just as they have done several times this season, when the second half started Daisy Quinonez took over in goal for the Chiefs. The Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference's Spring 2021 Goal Keeper of the Year was quickly tested just two minutes later as the Bobcats got a free kick 25 yards out on the left wing. Squinting into the sun Waubonsee's sophomore keeper was able to deflect the shot away. Over the next several minutes of play Bryant & Stratton had three corner kicks as they looked to take the lead. The third one in the 53^rd minute was the charm as the ball pin-balled in front of the goal and off a Chiefs' player and into the net putting the Bobcats in front.

The match turned into a defensive struggle over the next 20 minutes as neither team could advance the ball within striking distance of each other's net. Waubonsee, with several players nursing injuries and one starter in street clothes, could not muster much of an attack. The Chiefs did get a potential scoring opportunity in the 75^th minute when a foul on the Bobcats gave them a free kick from 25 yards out. However, Sanchez's left-footed shot curved right of the goal and out of bounds.

Bryant & Stratton then added a huge insurance goal in the 79^th minute when Alvarado got between two Chiefs' defenders and out sprinted them toward the goal. Quinonez came out from the net in an attempt to cut down the angle, but it was in vain. Alvarado laced a shot out of the reach of a diving Quinonez and into the right corner of the net for a 3-1 lead. From there the Bobcats were able to play keep away and run out the clock to end the Chiefs' season. Quinonez finished with four saves in goal for Waubonsee.