Box Score The Dominican University men’s soccer team wrapped up their seventh consecutive Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) regular season championship on Saturday afternoon, as freshman Marco Alvarez (Aurora, Ill.) broke a 1-1 tie in the 88^th minute, netting his sixth goal of the season.

 

After a scoreless first half, Leo Elizalde (Wheeling, Ill.) gave the Stars a 1-0 advantage as the Falcons’ Sam Ische gave up a rebound of a shot by the Stars’ Ryan Ybarra (Des Plaines, Ill.) and Elizalde was there to put home the rebound.

 

The Falcons were able to net the equalizer in the 79^th minute after a Dominican turnover in their own end led to a foul just outside the Stars’ 18-yard box and a restart opportunity for the Falcons.  Concordia Wisconsin’s Kyle Sytsma scored on the direct kick, beating the Stars’ Zach Watson (Carol Stream, Ill.) for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

 

The Falcons kept the pressure on the Stars, ripping three shots and winning two corners over the next six minutes, but it was Alvarez and the Stars that were able to find the back of the net and pick up their 29^th consecutive win over NAC opponents dating back to October 9, 2010.

 

The Stars outshot the Falcons 23-13, putting 12 shots on frame compared to just seven for the Falcons.  Dominican also held a 12-5 advantage in corner kicks. 

 

Watson, making just his second career start in goal for the Stars, picked up the win, making six saves on the afternoon.

 

The win pushes the Stars to 10-0-0 in the NAC and 13-2-1 overall, wrapping up the top seed in the 2012 NAC Men’s Soccer Tournament.  The Stars will close out the regular season on Wednesday, hosting neighborhood rival Concordia University Chicago for a 3:00 p.m. kickoff on the Stars’ West Campus Field.