Joliet claims Region IV title game rematch with road shutout

MADISON, WISC. - A year after losing the region title match on their home field to Madison College, second-seeded Joliet Junior College returned the favor on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over the top-seeded WolfPack to earn the 2018 NJCAA Region IV Division III Women's Soccer Championship. The Wolves scored all three goals in the second half to secure their first Region IV crown.

Scoreless after one half, sophomore Miranda Nirchi tallied the first Joliet Junior College goal in the 55'. An apparent second goal a few minutes later was called off due to offsides, but the Wolves did strike again in the 65' with a Katherine Rasmussen header off a corner kick. JJC (16-3-1) iced the game away with a third and final goal in the 87' to capture the Region IV trophy with their third victory in 13 all-time meetings against the WolfPack. Nirchi was awarded the Region IV Tournament MVP award, while Wesley Dapkus took home Region IV Coach of the Year accolades. The Wolves owned a 20-8 advantage in total shots and a 10-6 edge in shots on goal en route to their fourth consecutive victory.

The win advances JJC to the District D Championship on Sunday against the winner of Saturday's District D Semifinal between Region XII winner Delta College and Region XIII winner Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Both games will be played in Joliet, Illinois. The Wolves will enter the District Tournament as the third highest scoring team in the country with 84 goals on the year.

(Picture courtesy of Madison College Athletics)