PICTURED ABOVE: Sarah Van Wingerden scored on a penalty kick for the Thunder in the 73rd minute.

Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder women's soccer team hosted Washington University in St. Louis on Saturday afternoon in a highly anticipated matchup of nationally-ranked teams under sunny skies at Wheaton's Joe Bean Stadium. The visiting Bears utilized three second-half goals to emerge with the 3-1 victory over Wheaton.

Wheaton, ranked 23^rd in this week's NSCAA Division III Top-25, is now 6-3-0 on the year. Washington University, ranked seventh in the same poll, improves to 7-1-0 with the road win.
The two teams spent the first 10 minutes of the match feeling each other out as action was predominately in the middle of the field. The Bears broke through first with a header by Olivia Lillegraven that went 10 feet over the crossbar. Wheaton's Sydney Sharkey took a shot from the left side after she broke free from the Bears' defense, but her shot attempt was picked up by WashU goalkeeper Lizzy Crist, as was the ensuing shot attempt by Wheaton's Morgan Whitman.

Each team traded shot attempts that were saved by the respective keepers in the five minutes that followed. Few scoring opportunities presented themselves over the next 20 minutes. Wheaton's best opportunity to score in the first half occurred on a shot attempt by Sharkey that was saved by WashU's Lizzy Crist and an ensuing shot by Wheaton freshman Anne Jekel.

Neither team broke through in the first half as the contested was tied 0-0 at halftime. Wheaton attempted seven shots in the first half and the Bears had four.
The Bears were the first team to score as Lillegraven converted a shot into the right corner of the net as she took advantage of a Katie Chandler assist in the 47^th minute. The Bears' lead expanded to 2-0 five minutes later when Lillegraven headed the ball into the net on an assist by Darcy Cunningham in the 52^nd minute.     

The Thunder attack resiliently pressured WashU as Wheaton out-shot the Bears 6-2 over the next 16 minutes, however, the second WashU shot in that stretch went into the back of the net. Cunningham scored on a Megan Renken assist in the 68^th minute to give the guests a 3-0 lead. Wheaton's Ally Witt was fouled in the 18-yard box to award the Thunder a penalty kick in the 73^rd minute. Sarah Van Wingerden converted the penalty kick to cut the Bears' lead to 3-1. Each team only put together one shot on goal in the final 17 minutes as the Bears picked up the 3-1 win. Wheaton held a 9-6 advantage in shots in the second half.

Wheaton goalkeeper Abbey Fuster made four saves and allowed three goals. Crist made seven saves in the Bears' net and allowed the penalty kick goal in the second half. Wheaton out-shot the Bears 16-10 in the match and the Thunder held a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.

Wheaton will travel to Hope College on September 29 for a non-conference matchup with the Flying Dutch.

Note Worthy: Today's Washington University win marked the program's first win against Wheaton since 2004…Wheaton owned a 9-0-2 advantage in the 11 meetings prior to today's matchup…the Thunder now holds a 13-5-2 in the all-time series with the Bears.