Box Score

The Carthage College men's soccer team (11-7-2, 4-2-1 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) closed out its 2010 season with a 2-0 loss to North Park University (11-4-2, 4-1-2 CCIW) in the semifinals of the CCIW Men's Soccer Tournament at the Holmgren Athletic Complex in Chicago. 

North Park is the second seed in the tournament, the Red Men were seeded third. In the other semifinal contest on Wednesday night, top-seeded Wheaton College (Ill., 11-6-3, 7-0-0) edged fourth-seeded Augustana College (Ill., 8-11-1, 4-3-0), 2-1, at Joe Bean Stadium in Wheaton, Ill.  The Thunder will play host to North Park in the Saturday, Nov. 6 championship game. 

In Carthage's loss, North Park took a 1-0 first-half lead on a goal on a goal by James Kritico, his 17th of the year and assisted by Sehten Hills, at 32:31. The Vikings added a second-half score with a goal by Kris Grahn, his eighth of the year and also assisted by Sehten Hills, at 64:10.

"Today was a tale of two halves,” said Carthage coach Steve Domin. “They owned the first, and we owned the second. We were riding a five-game streak of 'must' wins, and I think the emotions caught up to us a touch. North Park's goal keeper was the difference in the game, as he came up with eight saves that could had yielded Carthage goals. For being in the CCIW Championships the last 7 years in a row, we learned a lot with such a young team and particularly our midfield. The boys battled to last whistle and gave the crowd a taste of how competitive the teams in our league are. We ran into a solid team and just didn't finish our numerous opportunities."