The Dominican University women's soccer team is headed back to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer National Tournament, earning the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) automatic bid to the national tournament with a 1-0 overtime win over the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks in the NACC Tournament championship round on Saturday afternoon at West Campus Field.
 
"What a great win for our team, program and university," said Carlos Carrillo, the Stars' fifth-year head coach. "To win the conference tournament championship on our home field and celebrate it was amazing…a feeling and experience that our student-athletes will always remember and take with them. I'm so proud of our team and coaching staff for what we've been able to accomplish. We look forward to experiencing the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year."
 
Dominican dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the visiting Scarlet Hawks 19-3 but could not break through on the scoreboard until the 95^th minute when Josseline Williams headed in Maggie McClure's restart service after an Illinois Tech foul along the endline.  The goal was the 26^th of the season and 11^th game-winner for the NACC Offensive Player of the Year.
 
Dominican appeared to have scored in the 48^th minute but the goal was waived off on an offside call.  Williams blasted a direct kick that was tipped by Caitlin Kenoian and ricocheted off the near post before Daniela Tovar-Miranda knocked it into the goal.  The offside negated the tally and kept the game scoreless through regular time.
 
With the win, Dominican improves to 18-2-0 overall, winning their 18^th straight after dropping the first two matches of the 2018 season.  Dominican will ride that winning streak into the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship tournament, finding out the details of their 2018 national tournament appearance when the bracket of the 64-team tournament is released on Monday, November 5, at 12:30 p.m.