PICTURED ABOVE: Stephen Golz celebrates after his game-winning goal in the second overtime of Wheaton's 3-2 victory over SUNY-Oneonta on Friday in the National Semifinals.

Kansas City, Mo. – The Wheaton College men's soccer team earned a dramatic 3-2 victory in two overtimes on Friday in the National Semifinal of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship against SUNY-Oneonta (21-1-2). Junior Stephen Golz headed the ball into the net at 103:50 into the match off of a Noah Anthony free kick just outside the 18-yard box to win the game for the Thunder.

Wheaton improves to 22-3-0 on the year and will compete in the NCAA Division III Championship Match for the fifth time in school history on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Swope Soccer Village. The Thunder will face Tufts, a 3-0 winner in the other semifinal against Ohio Wesleyan on Friday.

Oneonta put early pressure on, however, the Thunder responded with some early shots. Wheaton's Adam Blackman was fouled in the penalty box to set up a penalty kick for senior Noah Anthony (PICTURED LEFT). Anthony cooly converted the opportunity as the entered the net inside the right post to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead just 15:19 into the match.

Wheaton continued to pressure the Dragons, however, SUNY Oneonta countered with pressure around the 25 minute mark and it paid off at 29:26 when Jake Sutherland got on opportunity at an open net and tied the match at 1-1. Less the two minutes later Anthony Passiatore gave the Dragons a 2-1 lead with a goal at 31:43 on a Cory Santangelo. The Dragons maintained a 2-1 lead at halftime.

Early in the second half, Thunder junior Adam Blackman (PICTURED RIGHT) broke free and converted his own open net goal to tie the game at 2-2 at the 51:43 mark of the match. Oneonta appeared to have regained the lead with a few minutes left in regulation with an apparent goal that was waved off by the referee.

The two teams battled through a scoreless first overtime. Thunder goalkeeper Matt Paprocki got a piece of a Dragons shot on goal just 1:15 into the second overtime as the shot went of the post and the game remained tied thanks to Paprocki's work. A few minutes later, the Dragons fouled Wheaton's Marshall Hollingsworth just at the edge of the 18-yard box and Noah Anthony's free kick found Stephen Golz at the opposite corner of the net and Golz headed the ball in for his 21st goal of the season.

Thunder head coach Mike Giuliano said after the contest, "We haven't gotten behind very often this year, but we had a lot of confidence that we could rally back. The shot total told us in the first half of play that we would still be OK, despite trailing 2-1. I am really proud of our guys."  

Wheaton recorded 19 shots in the match, including seven on goal. The Dragons were credited with six shots in the match with four on goal. Paprocki was credited with two saves in the match, while Dragons' netminder Vincent Pellefrino made four stops.  Wheaton was awarded six corner kicks in the match, while the Dragons had four.

Note Worthy: Golz' game-winner at 103:40 is the second-latest goal scored by the Thunder in the Final Four, trailing only Dave Kouwe's game-winner at 114:40 in the 1984 National Championship Match against Brandeis…with 21 goals this season, Stephen Golz is now tied for eighth on Wheaton's single- season goals list…Wheaton's current 10-match win streak is tied for the sixth longest streak in program history...Wheaton is now 5-1 all-time in the NCAA Division III Semifinals and the program has won its last four semifinal appearances….The Thunder head into Saturday's National Championship Match with a 2-2 all-time record in the Division III Championship Match.