CHICAGO, Ill. – The Carthage College men's soccer team stayed perfect in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Wednesday night as the Red Men went into North Park University and came out with a strong, 3-2, win.
 
Now 3-0 in the CCIW, Carthage improves to 11-3-0 overall on the season, while handing North Park their first CCIW loss to drop them to 5-1 in the conference and 9-3-1 overall.
 
It's interesting because this one felt like we could have won by a handful after going up 2-0 and controlled things for about 70 minutes straight," said head men's soccer coach Steve Domin.  "Their keeper came up with several point-blank saves to keep the game in reach, showing why he is an all-league player… Give some credit to North Park.  They didn't go away with some gritty long balls in the final 20 minutes and we got caught subbing and pushing players forward to get a 3rd and 4th goal.  That was my mistake."
 
Brayan Arce Justiniano kept the game scoreless as the wind played havoc on the first corner just two minutes into the game forcing Arce Justiniano to punch the ball off the line and after a scrum for the ball the Carthage defense was eventually able to clear.
 
From there the Red Men backline limited any attacking opportunities for the Vikings as Jeff Montemayor, Matt Rojel, Giles Phillips and Jamie Tausend allowed just two total shots through the first 45 minutes with none on target.
 
Then, in the 27th minute, the Red Men finally broke down the backline with a ball to Austin Bitta on the left touchline that Bitta played back across the box.  On the receiving end was Ivan Esquivel, whom hit a one-time laser past North Park keeper Wesley Woodley to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The Red Men nearly added a second just moments later as a ball across the face of the goal from Kevin Mahoney went unfinished past the Carthage front.
 
Just two minutes into the second half the Red Men found that second goal as a long throw by Tausend found the head of Giles Phillips who directed it on goal and a deflection off the NPU defender gave the Red Men a 2-0 lead.
 
Arce Justiniano made big save after big save in the game with two or three one-on-ones and removing the threat of headers being put on goal by coming off his line and owning his box.
 
"Brayan bailed us out up 2-0 with a break-a-way save on a missed cover play," noted Domin.  "He took control of many of their serves into the box and it's hard for teams to win the area with him playing like he did back there tonight."
 
Down 2-0 the Vikings brought on a third attacker and in the 60th minute North Park got their first goal following a series of corners which the Red Men were unable to clear.
 
Carthage regained the two-goal advantage later in the half as Alberto Eloyza finished a rebound off an Austin Bitta opportunity that Woodley made a one-on-one save.
 
Domin stated, "I am glad Ivan and Berto got rewarded for their efforts today!  Giles also continued to show his ball winning ability not only in the back but when we need him to push up."
 
Carthage looked to continue to push the lead but each time the ball found a way to avoid the back of the net.
 
Then in the 88th minute North Park once again cut the deficit to one as Matias Warp slipped behind the defense on a give and go to slot one into the goal, ending the scoring at 3-2.
 
"There were some fireworks at the end.  Always are in CCIW games and we need to manage that better.  We are hyper young but learning each time we see a new situation and tonight was another one of those."
 
The Red Men outshot the Vikings 19-14 in the match including 9-6 on target, while NPU won the corners battle 5-1.