BOXSCORE

Kenosha, Wis. – The Wheaton men's soccer team extended its season on Wednesday night with a 2-1 win at top-seeded Carthage in the semifinals of the CCIW Men's Soccer Tournament. Wheaton, the fourth-seed in the CCIW Tournament, improves to 12-6-1 on the year. Carthage, the CCIW Champion and the tournament's top-seed, is now 14-5-2.

Wheaton will face Elmhurst, the number-two seed, at 4:30 PM on Saturday in the CCIW Tournament Championship Match at Wheaton's Joe Bean Stadium. Elmhurst tied Illinois Wesleyan 0-0 in today's other semifinal match, however, the Bluejays advanced with a 4-2 edge in a penalty kick shootout. The winner of Saturday's match will earn the conference's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament. As a CCIW Championship event the only free admission will be for students of participating member institutions, no season passes will be accepted.

Thunder head coach Mike Giuliano noted, “It is great to be in the finals of the conference tournament. I am glad that our seniors will get to play one more home game.” He added, “Saturday we will be playing what I think is the best team in the conference. I believe that Elmhurst and Carthage are the two best teams in the conference and we have to face both of them in this tournament.”

Wheaton took a 1-0 lead against Carthage in Wednesday night's match, as junior Joel DeLass blasted a shot from 35 yards out into the net at the 26:30 mark of the match. Wheaton remained a 1-0 leader for the rest of the first half.

Less than three minutes into the second half, senior Strider Elass (PICTURED RIGHT) booted a penalty kick that glanced off the cross bar and was good to extend Wheaton's lead to 2-0 at the 47:44 mark of the match. Carthage's Chris Fidlow cut Wheaton's lead to 2-1 with his third goal of the year. Fidlow's goal came 56:42 into the match, off of a Greg Goldsberry assist. Each team took eight shots in the second half and at times Carthage pressure Wheaton, however the Thunder held on for the 2-1 victory.

Wheaton out-shot Carthage 16-10, with an 8-2 edge in the first half. Carthage recorded five corner kicks, Wheaton tallied three. Wheaton goalkeeper BJ Dons played well, with six saves in 90 minutes of work. Carthage netminder Andrew Connor made 11 saves.