Balanced Field Leaves Tournament Title Up For Grabs
CHICAGO --- With three teams dropping just one conference match and another falling just twice during the league season, it should make for an interesting 2022 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Tournament when eight teams vie for the crown beginning on Saturday.
Olivet Nazarene University (12-4-1), Cardinal Stritch University (13-3-1) and St. Ambrose University (12-3-3) were the one-loss teams, while Trinity Christian College (10-4-4) dropped just two league matches. Those four teams will all host quarterfinal-round contests on Saturday.
Olivet Nazarene and Cardinal Stritch shared the CCAC regular-season title going 11-1-1 each, but ONU gained the top seed in the tournament and home-pitch advantage throughout by defeating the Wolves 3-1 during the regular season (Oct. 1). It also gave the Tigers one of the league's two automatic bids to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round. They will host No. 8 Holy Cross College (6-5-7) at noon.
Cardinal Stritch thus gains the No. 2 seed and will match up against No. 7 Saint Xavier University (6-8-4) in Milwaukee Saturday night at 7 pm. SXU pulled off one of the league's upsets this year when it downed Olivet Nazarene 1-0 back on Oct. 12.
Defending tournament champion St. Ambrose occupies the No. 3 spot after going 10-1-2 in league play with their only CCAC loss being 3-2 to Cardinal Stritch on Oct. 18. That gives the Fighting Bees the chance to host No. 6 Judson University (9-7-1) at 12 pm.
The final first-round matchup features No. 5 University of St. Francis (12-5-1) heading to No. 4 Trinity Christian (10-4-4). TCC will be seeking revenge in that contest after USF defeated the Trolls 2-1 on Oct. 15. Trinity Christian's only other league setback came against Olivet Nazarene 2-1 on Sept. 20.
The four winners from Saturday move on to the semifinal round Wednesday at the sites of the highest remaining seeds. The championship would follow next Saturday.
Should Olivet Nazarene also capture the CCAC Tournament, Cardinal Stritch will earn the conference's second automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round by virtue of its No. 2 seed in the tournament and tying for the regular-season title.
For a tournament bracket, go to Bracket.
The complete tournament schedule follows:
Saturday, November 5 - First Round
• Match #1: No. 8 Holy Cross (6-5-7) at No. 1 Olivet Nazarene (12-4-1) --- 12 pm CT
• Match #2: No. 5 St. Francis (12-5-1) at No.4 Trinity Christian (10-4-4) --- 11 am CT
• Match #3: No. 7 Saint Xavier (6-8-4) at No. 2 Cardinal Stritch (13-3-1) --- 7 pm CT
• Match #4: No. 6 Judson (9-7-1) at No. 3 St. Ambrose (12-3-3) --- 12 pm CT
Wednesday, November 9 - Semifinal Round
• Match #5: Winner-Match #1 vs. Winner-Match #2 --- TBA (at site of highest remaining seed)
• Match #6: Winner-Match #3 vs. Winner-Match #4 --- TBA (at site of highest remaining seed)
Saturday, November 12 – Championship
• Match #7: Winner-Match #5 vs. Winner-Match #6 --- TBA (at site of highest remaining seed)