MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The University of Northwestern women's soccer team topped North Central University [5-12-0, 2-10-0 UMAC], 5-1, in its regular season finale Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis. With the win, the Eagles finish the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference [UMAC] slate with an unblemished 11-0-1 [11-6-1 overall] record and capture the UMAC regular season title outright - their first since 2000. 

Northwestern got on the board first, as the team knocked one in at the 29' mark to post an early 1-0 lead. Then, one minute later, Maddie Leever (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Christian) buried another for the Eagles to make it a 2-0 ball game.

Shortly following, NCU found the back of the net to lift the score 2-1, still in UNW's favor.

Holding the lead [2-1] at the intermission break, the Eagles held the advantage in shots, 8-6.

During the second period, Anna Welch (Lakeville, Minn./Homeschool), Kimi Compton (Rosemount, Minn./Apple Valley), and Emily Goeppinger (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) tapped in a goal apiece to push the Eagles to a 5-1 victory in their final game of the 2017 regular season.

Concluding the afternoon contest, UNW totaled 24 shots [16 SOG], which outshined NCU's eight shots [6 SOG].

Northwestern's game leaders on the mid-day match were Leever [3S / 3 SOG / 1G], Goeppinger [3S / 2 SOG / 1G], Welch [2S / 1 SOG / 1G / 1A], Compton [1S / 1 SOG / 1G], Anna Martinson (Apple Valley, Minn./Homeschool) [1A], and Linley Norman (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) [10S / 5 SOG].

Guarding the cage the entire 90 minutes, Goalkeeper Samantha Dewey (Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors) made quite the impression, as she caught five saves on the day's competition.

Northwestern, who secured the No. 1 seed in the postseason tournament, will host Martin Luther [No. 4] or Northland [No. 5] on Wednesday, November 1, for a semifinal round contest. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Reynolds Field. For more information on the women's soccer program, fans should visit www.unweagles.com and follow @unwwsoc on Twitter.