(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's Women's Soccer team had an opportunity to take a big step toward capturing another Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) title. Instead, the Chiefs, who received top-25 votes in the latest NJCAA Division II poll, fell 2-1 to the College of Lake County. Looking to clinch the program's fourth straight league championship, Waubonsee lost for just the second time in ISCC action in the last four years. Coach Brad Schlemmer's teams have now gone 17-2 in league play during that span. The Chiefs can still clinch at least a share of the title with a victory over Oakton Community College when the teams meet Wednesday, October 11 on Waubonsee's pitch. 

The Lancers (4-1-2, 2-0-1) and Chiefs (6-3, 3-1) entered the contest as two of top-15 teams nationally in shots taken. Waubonsee ranked ninth with 139 shots while Lake County was 14^th with 127 shots on the season. Both teams were also coming off 9-0 wins in their previous matches. The Lancers trouncing Milwaukee Area (WI) Technical College and the Chiefs pounding Illinois Valley Community College by the same tally. Neither team disappointed early on as they both were on the offensive getting several shots on goal. 

Waubonsee nearly drew first blood in the second minute of the match. However, Ashleigh Wackerlin's breakaway shot went wide of the left post. Lancers' keeper Mackenzie Arden recorded four saves while Chiefs' keeper Luz Espino registered three in the initial 10 minutes of the match. In the 15^th minute the Lancers' Anna Vazquez broke through the Chiefs' defense and got off a solid shot that Espino made a fantastic save on by smothering the ball to keep the match scoreless. 

The game went back and forth throughout the first half with neither team able to find the back of the net. In the 32^ndminute Brigid Gannon got off a shot from the left wing that hit the near post and bounded away. Two minutes later Wackerlin had a shot from 10 yards out sail over the crossbar, and a half minute after that Kylie Brazill also misfired just over the crossbar. However, just before the end of the half the Lancers Zamaria Williams got a pass in the box and bounced a left-footed shot past a sprawling Espino and into the left corner of the net. The half ended with the Lancers in front 1-0 despite the Chiefs owning a slight 13-12 advantage in shots taken. Both teams were even in shots on goal at nine apiece with Espino registering eight saves and Arden five.

The pace in the second half did not trail off as the action remained fast and furious. Vazquez narrowly missed with a shot over the crossbar in the 50^th minute. Four minutes later the Lancers' Kenna Wisniewski launched a shot that Espino got a hand on before it ricocheted off the crossbar. In the 60^th minute Williams got ahead of the pack but was thwarted once again as Espino raced out from the net and made a sliding stop. The score remained 1-0 in favor of the visitors as the game moved into the later stages of the second half.

Finally, in the 79^th minute the Lancers were able to tack on a pivotal second goal as Wisniewski blasted a shot into the upper right corner of the net to make it 2-0. Waubonsee responded with a goal in the 84^th minute as Gannon delivered a pass in front of the net to Brazill. The sophomore from Geneva promptly drilled the ball into the back of the net from just five yards out for her 13th goal of the season to suddenly give the Chiefs a chance. Brazill very nearly knotted the score in the 87^th minute but her shot under pressure from the right side sailed just past the far post. Lake County was then able to run out the clock and hold on for the win.

For the game the Lancers held a 24-21 edge overall in shots and a 17-12 advantage in shots on goal. The Chiefs were unable to capitalize on a slim 5-3 lead in corner kicks. Espino was credited with 14 saves, while Arden finished the match with eight saves. Coach Schlemmer's crew is set to travel to Joliet Junior College this coming Friday, September 22 where they will kick off against the Wolves at 2:00 p.m. Waubonsee returns home next Monday, September 25 when they host Parkland College beginning at 3:00 p.m.