NOTRE DAME, Ind. — IU Northwest women's soccer made history Tuesday afternoon, competing in the CCAC Tournament for the first time in program history, falling 3-2 to top-seeded Holy Cross College in a tightly contested quarterfinal at Saints Field.

The eighth-seeded RedHawks (5-5-9) struck first in the 27th minute when Ava Haluska converted her fifth goal of the season, giving IU Northwest an early 1-0 advantage. Holy Cross (11-5-3) equalized less than a minute later, and after taking a 2-1 lead midway through the second half, IU Northwest continued to battle back.

Juju Bozinovski tied the match 2-2 in the 82nd minute off a perfectly placed cross from Haluska, but the Saints responded just three minutes later with the game-winner from Sofia Brodar. Goalkeeper Isabel Escalera finished with eight saves, keeping the RedHawks within reach throughout the match as IU Northwest held its own against one of the top-ranked teams in the CCAC.

"This group showed incredible heart and fight last night," said Head Coach Jamie McNicholas. "To come into our first-ever conference tournament and push the No. 1 seed the way we did speaks volumes about our growth as a program. I couldn't be prouder of this team."

IU Northwest closes its 2025 season with a 5-5-9 record, marking the most successful campaign in program history and the RedHawks' first CCAC postseason appearance.