North Central got a hat trick from Christina Goodman on Friday to earn a 5-1 win over Northland International University but were shutout 6-0 by St Scholastica on Saturday to remain just one game below .500 for the year with two remaining regular season matches.

Friday afternoon North Central powered past Northland International University (Dunbar, Wis.) 5-1 on the strength of a seven point performance from junior forward Christina Goodman (Hopkins, Minn./Minnetonka). Goodman tallied in the 23rd, 53rd, and 82nd minute for NCU and also assisted on on the Rams first goal. Sophomore Alyssa Slone (Elyria, Ohio/Open Door Christian) recorded two goals in the match for her third multi-goal game of the year. Slone leads NCU with 14 points on 6 goals and 2 assists. The victory was North Central's sixth win of the year and its fourth by more than a one goal margin.

Saturday NCU ran into an outstanding team playing well as they dropped a 6-0 road match to The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) in Duluth. The Saints are the top team in the NCAA DIII Upper Midwest Athletic Conference and have not allowed a goal in UMAC play in their 7-0-1 in conference slate this season. That level of play gave the Saints all they needed to out-shoot the Rams 24-6 and claim the win. Junior goalkeeper Noelle Stordock (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) posted a heroic effort recording 12 saves on 18 shots on net.

The Rams return to action this afternoon with a 3 p.m. home tilt with Finlandia University (Hancock, Mich.). NCU last met up with the Lions October 19, 2010, with NCU coming out on top in a 3-0 home victory.

The final match of the 2011 regular season kicks off next Tuesday on the road at Waldorf College (Forest City, Iowa) at 4 p.m.

NCU then goes into the NCCAA DII North Central Region Tournament as the top seed and will play the winner of Providence College (Otterburne, Manitoba) and Faith Baptist Bible College (Ankeny, Iowa) in the regional final. The tournament is hosted by Providence College on October 28-29.