ELMHURST, Ill. – It took eleven rounds of penalty kicks but following a scoreless match through regulation and two overtime periods the Carthage College Red Men defeated Elmhurst College in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament semifinals 10-9 on penalty kicks to advance to Saturday's CCIW Men's Soccer Championship game.
  
"It's always tough to play a team twice in a year, and particularly back-to-back, leaves little for suprises," said winning Carthage head coach Steve Domin.  "Interesting thing is I felt we really dominated Elmhurst our last game, and this game they were more aggressive on parts of the field.  Our aim was to use a lot of players and make it a track meet of sorts and the tide really started to turn in the second half and overtime periods."

Carthage owned a 14-10 advantage in shots in the match with an 11-7 advantage through regulation but the Bluejays owned a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal in the match.
 
Giles Phillips nearly opened the scoring for the Red Men as a number of quick passes in the Elmhurst 18-yard box found Phillips inside the penalty spot but Elmhurst goalkeeper Nick King was able to fall on the shot for the save.
 
Following header opportunities that were saved by Niko Mavrogiannis, who was making his fourth consecutive start Wednesday for the injured Evan Bott, Carthage had their second great opportunity of the half to break the scoreless draw. as a clearance found substitute midfielder Michael Modesti who led a run-out deep into the Bluejays end and found Johnny Rimkus in the corner.  Rimkus sent a pass into Nick Vogel at the top of the six-yard box but Vogel's near post shot was directly at King who made the save.
 
After allowing only two soft headers on target in the first half, the Carthage backline of Phillips, Jake Bukiri, Shane Reilly and Jamie Tausend would be put to the test and pass as high-pressure to start the second half by Elmhurst would go unrewarded.
 
The second half would be a stalemate for much of the rest of the 45-minute period as Mavrogiannis was forced to make only a single save in the period on his way to his second career shutout.
 
It looked as though Carthage was going to win it late in the second half, however shots by Stefano Dolomas and Austin Bitta sailed wide and high respectively.
 
"We just couldn't get on the end of a host of balls across the area, while trying to defend their big counters. I hate to admit it, but their goalkeeper was the difference in both of these games to keep things close," complimented the Carthage head coach.
 
In the first overtime period, Austin Bitta ripped a shot from 30 yards out that Elmhurst goalkeeper Nick King was able to get a fist to and punch over the net.
 
Bitta had a third opportunity in the second overtime period but was denied by the crossbar to turn away the Red Men's best scoring opportunity of the match.
 
To shootouts we would go where Carthage would shoot first to apply pressure to the Bluejays. 
 
After Nathaniel Michaelis and Stefano Dolomas each converted their penalty kicks,  Mavrogiannis made a diving save to give the Red Men a 2-1 advantage after two shooters apiece.
 
Following Jake Bukiri and Elmhurst conversions, Elmhurst's King would make a save of his own, diving to his left to turn away Bitta's attempt.  Following Elmhurst's next kick, Carthage and Elmhurst were even again at three through four shooters.
 
It remained tied through the first five shooters, as Zach Schoffstall and his counterpart would convert to send it to sudden death penalty kicks.
 
Carthage continuously applied the pressure to Elmhurst as Ivan Chavez, Johnny Rimkus, Jovanni Anzaldi, goalkeeper Niko Mavrogiannis, and Jamie Tausend each converted their shootout attempts forcing must-makes for Elmhurst.
 
In the 11th round of penalty kicks, following a Nick Vogel conversion, Elmhurst's Nick Fecci got Mavrogiannis diving to his left but the shot sailed high to give the Red Men the 10-9 edge on PKs.
 
"Cardiac kids, really on both ends of the result column this year so I am not really that shocked it went this way.  We have been a tremendously tough team to beat and to do it with such a young team in key areas makes me feel good about our mix," Domin said.  "Dave Di Tomasso has done a good job of flipping their season and it stinks someone has to lose.  It's a credit to our league, the coaching, and its depth"
 
Officially in the books as a tie, the Red Men advance to face North Central College in the CCIW Championship as the number-four seeded Cardinals defeated the top-seeded Thunder of Wheaton College 5-4 on penalty kicks following a scoreless draw. 
 
"We are a little disappointed we won't get to play Wheaton because we felt that was really the only game where we got out shot, played poorly.  At this point of the season you take what you get and will have a tough tough test in North Central.  I said it after our match this year that they were among the strongest teams in our league," voiced Domin.
 
Carthage will host North Central Saturday, November 7th in the final at Art Keller Field with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. 
 
The Red Men, who topped Cardinals during the regular season 1-0 in overtime back on October 2nd, have never met in CCIW tournament as North Central is making their inaugural appearance, while the Carthage is making their fourth trip to the final in search of their second title.
 
Carthage's lone CCIW championship came back in 2011 when the Red Men defeated North Park University in overtime, 3-2.
 
Looking ahead, Steve Domin commented on the big picture of what winning means with this team saying, "We get to be together for a few more days."