2025 CCAC Women's Soccer Tournament Up For Grabs
CHICAGO --- To say that the 2025 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Tournament is up for grabs would be an understatement after a single point separated the top five teams in the eight-team tournament following regular-season play.
It also took three tie-breaking procedures before the tournament pairings could be determined with Holy Cross College coming out as the top seed after all the dust had settled. The Saints (9-5-3) edged out No. 2 seed Saint Xavier University (9-4-4) and No. 3 St. Ambrose University (10-5-3) for the top spot after beating both squads during the regular season.
All three teams shared the regular-season crown after finishing an identical 8-1-3 in league matches. Saint Xavier gained the second seed on a goals-differential tie-breaker.
Each of those teams will host first-round playoff matchups with No. 4 seed Olivet Nazarene University (9-0-6) serving as the final host site. The Tigers, the only team not to lose a match during the regular season, also used a goals-differential tie-breaker to gain the upper-hand over No. 5 University of St. Francis (11-3-3). Those two teams will square off Tuesday at 5 pm to open the tournament.
The other three matchups have No. 8 seed Indiana University Northwest (5-4-9) traveling to Holy Cross, No. 7 Trinity Christian College (7-9-2) going up the road to Saint Xavier and No. 6 Viterbo University (8-6) heading over to St. Ambrose.
Two-time defending regular-season and tournament champion St. Ambrose, Saint Xavier and Olivet Nazarene enter the tournament as the hottest teams. Each of those squads have won their last four matches in a row.
Claiming the top seed in the tournament has also punched Holy Cross' ticket to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round. The conference's other automatic bid goes to the tournament champion.
Should Holy Cross also gain the tournament crown, Saint Xavier would collect the second berth by virtue of earning the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
Semifinal-round action takes place on Friday at the sites of the highest remaining seeds. The championship match will also be hosted by the highest remaining seed next Tuesday (Nov. 11).
For the tournament bracket, go to Bracket.
The complete tournament schedule follows:
Tuesday, November 4 - First Round
• Match #1: No. 8 Indiana Northwest (5-4-9) at No. 1 Holy Cross (9-5-3) --- 6:30 pm CT
• Match #2: No. 5 St. Francis (11-3-3) at No.4 Olivet Nazarene (9-0-6) --- 5 pm CT
• Match #3: No. 7 Trinity Christian (7-9-2) at No. 2 Saint Xavier (9-4-4) --- 6:30 pm CT
• Match #4: No. 6 Viterbo (8-6) at No. 3 St. Ambrose (10-5-3) --- 7 pm CT
Friday, November 7 - 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)
Tuesday, November 11 – Championship
• Match #7: Winner-Match #5 vs. Winner-Match #6 --- TBA (at site of highest remaining seed)