Woodstock North goalkeeper Alex Carbajal was calm and collected as he took the field for a PK shootout to decide the winner of a crucial Kishwaukee River Conference boys soccer match against Harvard.

With the match even at 1-1 after regulation time and Woodstock North’s undefeated conference record on the line, Carbajal saw the first PK attempt from Harvard’s Jesus Aquino soar high over his own net. The Thunder capitalized on the missed chance, as captain Chris Arellano converted his PK to give Woodstock North the advantage.

Using quick feet and instincts, Carbajal stopped each of the next two Harvard attempts to keep the Hornets off the scoreboard and give the Thunder an opportunity to clinch the match. Holding a 2-0 advantage after captain Cole Morrison drilled his PK, Jorge Tapia Ortiz sealed the victory for the Woodstock North side, cashing in the team’s third PK attempt and securing the Thunder’s fourth straight conference win.

“I was calm the whole time and I didn’t feel the pressure,” Carbajal said. “I’ve been in plenty of PK shootouts throughout my career. I just picked a side and I guessed right. It was a really good team effort.”

It was an emotional victory for Woodstock North assistant coach Julio Campos, who shared several hugs with his players after the shootout concluded. Campos, who hadn’t beaten Harvard as a varsity soccer player at Woodstock North over three years, saw his team overcome a 12-4 deficit in shots on goal during regulation time to win on Monday.

“It’s immense for our program,” Campos said. “It’s the first time we’ve beaten Harvard in years. I played here during my freshman, sophomore and junior year and we were never able to beat Harvard. This is the closest we’ve come to winning our conference. We have a few games to go, but I think we’re going to finish the job.”

Both Harvard (5-6, 1-2 KRC) and Woodstock North (6-4, 4-0 KRC) posted quality shots on goal in the early going. But key saves from Carbajal, who had eight during regulation time, and Harvard’s Osvaldo Nova kept the match scoreless. The Hornets struck first, as a foul inside the box during the 12th minute led to a PK goal by forward Bryan Gorostieta, who led all players with seven shots on goal.

The Thunder managed to equalize only a short time later, converting a free-kick set piece into a goal by sophomore midfielder Saul Santana, who headed a ball into the Harvard net to tie the match at 1-1. The remainder of the match was fought in the middle third, as players on both side battled for possession but were unable to break the draw.

“They’ve grown a lot in terms of our chemistry on and off the field,” Campos said. “They’ve played way more as a team this year than they have in past years. Silmar [Martinez] and I are making big changes for the program and you can tell based off our record and how we play.”

Harvard midfielder Luis Pichardo ripped a shot at the Woodstock North goal in the 34th minute, but Carbajal made a diving save to preserve the 1-1 draw. Harvard attempted the first half’s only corner kick and owned a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal after 40 minutes, but the Hornets were unable to convert their quality chances into goals.

“We let them off the hook early,” Harvard head coach Victor Gonzalez said. “We had opportunities during the first 10 minutes and we couldn’t find the net. We were creating opportunities and we’re good enough to create them, but we’re having trouble finishing right now.”

Harvard came within inches of scoring in the 56th minute, when the senior forward Gorostieta took a pass from Aquino and blasted a shot that banged off the top crossbar and out of play. Four yellow cards were distributed in the second half, including three over the final 10 minutes, but neither squad was able to find the go-ahead goal.

“We fought hard until the end,” Carbajal said. “We put our minds into every game and we work hard every day. This is a really big win. We don’t beat this team a lot, so this will boost our confidence a lot.”

The Thunder have outscored conference opponents 18-1 over their first four KRC matches this season. With the victory, Woodstock North moves into a tie for first place with Woodstock, who also owns a 4-0 KRC record. The Thunder will host the Blue Streaks on Sept. 24.