KENOSHA, Wis. – A year after defeating Carthage in the final seconds to reach the 2014 CCIW Tournament, the Lady Reds returned the favor, beating the Bluejays 2-1 in a dramatic, winner-take-all regular season finale. 

After being denied by a pair of brilliant saves from Melinda Vickers, Carthage broke through in the sixth minute of extra time. Amy Kappelman scored from a tough angle, ending the game and the Bluejays' season. 

The Bluejays (8-6-2, 3-4-0 CCIW) and Lady Reds (6-11-1, 3-3-1 CCIW) played a scoreless first half. Carthage out shot Elmhurst 8-4, but Vickers made three saves to help keep the game level. 

Anna Garritano put the Bluejays out on front early in the second half with her seventh goal of the season. She took the ball away from a defender to create a one-on-one situation with Carthage's goalkeeper Abby Alm. A dribble lured Alm off her line and Garritano knocked her shot inside the near post. 

Needing a goal to keep their season alive in the final minutes, the Lady Reds equalized. Kayla McGuinness lifted a ball toward the box and Rachel Post used the outside of her right foot to lift a volley into the air. Vickers was able to tip the ball with her fingertips, but Post's volley hit the inside of the crossbar and fell into the goal. 

Elmhurst's season almost came to an end in the final seconds of regulation as Erin Ganzke turned and fired a shot from point blank range. Vickers came off her line to make a sliding save to keep the Bluejays' CCIW Tournament hopes alive. 

Kappelman provided the game-winning goal for Carthage in overtime, scoring from almost the same spot as Emily Hemierdinger's game-winner in last season's matchup that send Elmhurst to the CCIW Tournament. 

Carthage out shot the Bluejays 19-10. Vickers made five saves, including two that kept the Bluejays in the game. On the opposing side, Alm stopped two Elmhurst chances. 

Elmhurst wraps up its season with a fifth-place finish in the CCIW.