GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Anna Seabolt scored the game's first goal on Friday.

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San Antonio, Texas - For the fifth time in school history, the Wheaton College women's soccer team will play for a National Championship following Wheaton's 2-0 win over Ithaca College (15-4-3) on Friday in one of two semifinal matches of the NCAA-III Women's Soccer Tournament. Wheaton improves its record to 23-1-2 and will face Messiah College in the National Championship at 1:30 PM on Saturday. Messiah was a 1-0 winner against William Smith College on Friday's other Semifinal under rainy and wet conditions at the Blossom Soccer Complex.

Wheaton dominated play throughout the match, with a 28-3 edge in shots and a 9-1 advantage in corner kicks. Wheaton out-shot the Bombers 15-2 in the first half, but both teams went into the halftime intermission with a scoreless tie.

Wheaton continued to pressure the Bombers early in the second half and it paid off. Keri Shannon sent a pass to Ali Kopelman at the 18-yard box. Kopelman delivered the ball to freshman Anna Seabolt at the six-yard box and Seabolt converted with a header into the net at the far post to give Wheaton a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute.

In the 74th minute Katelyn Kishkunas was fouled in the box, prompting a yellow card against the Bombers and a penalty kick to the Thunder. Senior Jaime Orewiler converted the penalty kick to give the Thunder the 2-0 edge that would become the final outcome.

Thunder head coach Pete Felske said of the game, “I thought, for us at least, the game started pretty slowly. We played a little chaotic and rushed to start the game. About 10 to 15 minutes into the game, I thought we settled down a little bit, got into a groove and moved the ball better. After that I just thought it was a matter of time, after things got rolling we hit the post and we hit the crossbar as we got some nice shots on goal.”

Freshman goalie Kelsey Graham made one save in 65 minutes of action for the Thunder. Junior Hilary Barreto played the last 25 minutes with no saves. Ithaca goalie Becca Salant made 11 saves to go with the two goals allowed, keeping the Bombers in the match.

With today's win, Wheaton is now 8-2 all-time in Final Four matches, with a 5-1 record in the Semifinals. Wheaton's only previous loss in a National Semifinal was against Amherst College in 2001. The Thunder heads into Saturday's National Championship Match with a 3-1 all-time record in Championship matches. Wheaton won titles in 2004, 2006 and 2007. The only loss for Felske's program in a National Championship Match came against Saturday's opponent, Messiah College, in a 5-0 victory for the Falcons in the 2008 Finals in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Felske noted of Saturday's National Championship Match, “It is great to be facing Messiah. We are both small Christian colleges that play for something a little bit more than just wins and losses. We both want to win; obviously we will both come out and put on a good effort.”

Jaime Orewiler, was one of Wheaton's current seniors who were freshmen in 2008 when Wheaton faced Messiah in the National Championship Match. Orewiler was injured at the time of that match between the two Division III powers and noted of playing against Messiah on Saturday, “I think that being there at that time, and being able to go along and see it all was a great experience and it helped prepare me for this year. Even though I wasn't able to play it was good preparation. It feels like the past several years Wheaton and Messiah have been going at it, so I am excited to play them tomorrow.”