PICTURED ABOVE: Kristin Rauh scored Wheaton's second and third goal in Saturday's 3-1 victory against North Central.
Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton women's soccer team earned a 3-1 CCIW win against North Central (7-8, 2-3 CCIW) on Saturday night at Joe Bean Stadium.
Wheaton is now 12-5 on the year and 4-1 in CCIW play. The Thunder remain in conference action next Wednesday with a matchup at Augustana College.
All-American
Ally Witt (PICTURED LEFT) quickly gave Wheaton a 1-0 lead tonight as the senior
sent the ball into the net off of a
Kristin Rauh cross just 2:04 into the match.
Wheaton continued to pressure the Cardinals' defense and it was Rauh who made the guests pay. The senior scored her team-best ninth goal of the year as
she headed the ball from in front of the net at the 17:25 mark of the match. Rauh's goal came on assist from
Annie Wooldridge as she lobbed the ball over NCC goalkeeper Nicki Seiton onto the head of Rauh. Wheaton maintained its 2-0 lead at the halftime intermission. Wheaton out-shot the Cardinals 9-6 in the opening 45 minutes.
North Central's Jessica DeJong scored for the Cardinals to trim Wheaton's lead to 2-1 at the 56:01 mark of the match.
Wheaton continued to control the pace of the match in the second half. Rauh capitalized late in the match as
she headed the ball into the net off of long cross from Hannah Hodge. Rauh's second header goal of the night gives her 10 goals on the season and increased Wheaton's lead to 3-1 at the 85:22 mark of the contest.
Wheaton goalkeeper
Abbey Fuster made three saves and allowed the second-half goal in her 90 minutes of work in the Thunder net. North Central netminder Nicki Seiton made 10 saves and allowed three goals. Wheaton attempted 18 shots in the match, including 13 shots on goal. North Central had 12 shot attempts on the night with four shots on goal. Wheaton was awarded four corner kicks and NCC had one.
