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In a highly intense and physically demanding match on September 23rd, the South Bend Adams girls soccer team faced off against their rivals, Penn, at Tallman Field. The outcome of this game determined the final standings in the Northern Indiana Conference (NIC). Both teams played as if they were preparing for the postseason, even though the winner would merely claim third place and the loser would finish fourth.

Penn's head coach, Jeff Hart, was quoted saying, "These games are big, and they’re fun, and they prepare us for the postseason. This was like a postseason game." The match started with Adams taking the lead early on, followed by a tie right after eight minutes into the game.

Penn then took the lead twice within the first half, scoring two goals to build a 4-1 lead before halftime. Adams managed to cut the lead to 4-2 with a penalty kick from Arianna Jones, but Penn responded quickly with a goal from Smith, making it 4-3.

The game came down to the wire as Adams managed to score one more goal in the final 4 minutes and 13 seconds, but Penn managed to hold on, securing a 5-3 victory. Penn's success in this game moved them to third place in the NIC, while Adams finished in fourth place.

Head coach Jeff Hart praised his team for their effort and camaraderie, stating that "they’re playing for each other, and they care about each other." This performance solidified Penn's position among the top teams in the NIC, potentially creating a new 'Big 4' in the conference alongside Marian, Saint Joseph, and Penn.