GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Marshall Hollingsworth assisted on two goals in Wheaton's 3-0 win over Augsburg on Friday night.

Wheaton, Ill. - The Wheaton men's soccer team, ranked #15 in the NSCAA preseason coaches poll, opened its 2014 season with a convincing 3-0 victory over the Augsburg College Auggies on Friday night. Wheaton scored all three goals in a 16-minute stretch in the first half and never looked back in cruising to its fourth consecutive victory in their season opener. Wheaton has allowed just one goal in its last four season-opening games. Wheaton (1-0) will face Whitworth University (1-0) at 7 PM on Saturday night at Joe Bean Stadium in the closing game of the 2014 Bob Baptista Invitational.

Wheaton held a 15-4 shot advantage over the Auggies with a 9-2 edge in shots on goal. Matt Paprocki registered the clean sheet for the Thunder, making two saves in 90 minutes of work. Nick Lenertz made five saves but surrendered all three goals for the Auggies in 82:21 of action. Tommy Molski made one save in 7:39 of play.

Wheaton wasted no time controlling the game and capitalized on the game's first shot when Elliot Borge found the ball at his feet at the top of the box and blasted a low left-footed shot that tucked into the corner of the net to put Wheaton up 1-0 at the 10:03 mark. The early goal seemed to tilt the field in favor of the Thunder and Wheaton struck again just over six minutes later. Marshall Hollingsworth set up the attack with a run through the midfield and played a brilliant through ball into the box that found a streaking Noah Anthony (PICTURED RIGHT). Anthony one-timed a pass into the middle of the field where Adam Blackman slipped the ball into the back of the net for the 2-0 lead on the game's second shot.

Hollingsworth also set-up the third goal for the Thunder at the 25:32 mark with another impressive through ball that found Jordan Golz (PICTURED LEFT) in stride for a quick one-touch shot past the oncoming keeper to give Wheaton the 3-0 lead. That lead would last until halftime.

Following a lightning delay immediately after the halftime break, the second half unfolded into a midfield battle with both teams possession in the middle third but neither team sincerely threatening to score and the 3-0 lead stood as the final tally.

Wheaton will next play at 7 PM on Saturday when the Thunder face Whitworth University at Joe Bean Stadium. Whitworth defeated Millikin 3-2 earlier on Friday.

Note Worthy: The victory was the 100th victory at the helm of the Thunder for head coach Mike Giuliano...Giuliano is just the third coach in program history to reach the 100-win plateau joining Joe Bean and Bob Baptista...Former Wheaton men's soccer coaches Joe Bean (558 wins) and Bob Bapista (104 wins) were each attendance on Friday night...the trio of Baptista, Bean and Giuliano have presided over 90% of the victories in program history.