Wheaton, Ill. - An early deficit provided the necessary drama and the cast of characters in orange and blue got to play the heroes on Saturday night at Joe Bean Stadium. Trailing 1-0 after three minutes, the Thunder men's soccer team rallied for a 2-1 victory over Trinity (Texas) to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2006. In doing so, Wheaton ended the 21-game winning streak held by the Tigers, who ended their season at 24-2. Wheaton improves to 21-3 with the victory and won its ninth straight match. Wheaton advances to a December 5 National Semifinal in Kansas City, Missouri.

Despite an even shot total in the first half, Wheaton finished the game with an 18-13 advantage in shots with both teams putting nine shots on goal. Wheaton attempted seven corner kicks to just three for the Tigers. Wheaton's Matt Paprocki allowed one goal and made seven saves for the Thunder while Matt Cardone allowed two goals and made seven saves for the Tigers.

Similar to Friday night's match against Wartburg, Wheaton nearly dented the scoreboard in the opening minute when Jordan Golz unleashed a strong one-timer that flew just wide left. Two minutes later, a terrific individual effort by Johnny Lawson provided a rising right-footed shot into the top corner of the net that left Paprocki frozen and gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead just 2:47 into the match. Having landed the first blow, Trinity continued to hold the run of the play through the next ten minute before Wheaton slowly found its footing. Wheaton seemed to finally come to life in the 32nd minute when a set-piece provided Adam Blackman an opportunity in front of the net that was saved by Cardone.

In the 37th minute it was a set piece that gave Wheaton the equalizer. Noah Anthony's corner kick from the left side of the net found the head of Stephen Golz (PICTURED RIGHT) at the top of the six-yard box and Golz netted his 20th goal of the season to tie the match at the 36:43 mark. Boosted by finding even ground, Wheaton surged forward in the final minutes of the half and carried the momentum in the locker room despite the tie score.

The early minutes of the second half saw the Thunder begin peppering the Tiger net with shots and Cardone answered the call agaisnt shots from Ben Bakke, Elliot Borge and Jordan Golz in the first eight minutes of the half. Possessing out of the back Adam Blackman carried the ball 40 yards across midfield before sliding the ball outside to a running Anthony. Anthony delivered a driven one-time pass to the near post and found Jordan Golz at the top of the six-yard box, who craftily flicked the ball to the near post past Cardone to give Wheaton the 2-1 lead at the end of the 62nd minute.

Wheaton followed with a couple of quick shots in the next five minutes before Trinity countered with some pressure of the next few minutes. Elliot Borge and Adam Blackman each had several chances to give Wheaton an insurance goal but Cardone answered the call each time for the Tigers. In the final 10 minutes, Trinity had a couple of set pieces that led to a loose ball in the Wheaton box but the Thunder defense was able to clear it each time and hold on to advance to the Final Four with a 2-1 victory.

Note Worthy: Wheaton advances to the Final Four for the sixth time in program history...with the victory, Wheaton improved to 21-3 on the season, tying the Thunder with the 1984 and 1998 teams for the second-highest single season win total in program history.