Holland, Mich. – The Thunder women's soccer team earned a key non-conference win on Tuesday evening as Wheaton earned a 2-1 victory at 16^th-ranked Hope College (10-1-0). Wheaton, ranked 24^th in this week's NSCAA Division III Top-25 Poll, is now 7-3-0 on the year. The Thunder will travel Elmhurst College on Saturday afternoon for the CCIW opener against the Bluejays.

Wheaton wasted no time in attacking the Flying Dutch defense as junior Annie Wooldridge scored just 1:47 into the match as she blasted a shot into the back of the net from about eight yards out. A little more than five minutes later Sydney Sharkey utilized an Ally Witt assist as Sharkey registered her second goal of the year to give Wheaton a 2-0 lead just 6:57 into the match.

The two teams traded shot attempts over the next nine minutes until consecutive shot attempts by the Flying Dutch culminated with a header into the back of the net for Hope's Erin Brophy. Brophy's goal cut Wheaton's lead to 2-1 at the 15:38 mark of the match. The Flying Dutch continued to attack Wheaton throughout the first half as the hosts out-shot the Thunder 11-7 for the half.

In the second half, Hope continued to attack the Thunder defense as the Flying Dutch out-shot Wheaton 7-5 and the hosts had a 3-0 edge in shots on goal as Wheaton netminder Abbey Fuster three saves in the half.

Fuster tallied five saves in the match and she allowed just the first-half goal. Hope goalkeeper Mary Clare Theis made five saves and allowed two goals. Hope out-shot the Thunder 18-12 in the match and the hosts had a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.

Wheaton head coach Pete Felske noted after the game, "When you get off to a 2-0 lead that certainly helps. We played smart, hard and made good decisions in this match."