McLean County Times

A late penalty kick by Joey Rodino secured a 1-1 draw for the Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team against Elmhurst University. The match, held on October 19 in Elmhurst, Illinois, saw the Titans move to a record of 9-1-3 overall and 3-1-1 in CCIW play. Meanwhile, Elmhurst recorded its first tie in league play, standing at 5-8-3 overall and 0-5-1 in conference.

Throughout the game, Illinois Wesleyan maintained control with 24 shots compared to Elmhurst's six. The Titans also led in shots on goal (9-3) and corner kicks (4-2). However, Elmhurst's defense was strong with eight saves, while IWU's goalkeeper Sam Kedzior made two saves.

The first half ended scoreless despite IWU leading in shot attempts. In the second half, senior Mush Bakirdan attempted a long shot that was deflected by the Bluejay keeper. A subsequent collision involving senior Devyn Kennedy resulted in a red card for Kennedy.

Elmhurst capitalized on their advantage when they scored via a header from a short corner kick in the 62nd minute. IWU had an opportunity to equalize with a free kick by freshman Ben Lyons but failed to convert.

A yellow card against the Bluejays' goalie allowed Rodino to take a penalty kick at the 87th minute. He successfully scored his second goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

Before the final whistle, Elmhurst managed one more shot and received two additional yellow cards. The Titans will next face North Central College at Neis Field on October 23 for another CCIW matchup.