Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton Thunder women's soccer team opened its 2017 season Friday night with a resounding 4-1 victory against Whitworth University in the opening day of the Bob Baptista Invitational. Junior
Chelsea Gnan registered a hat trick with three goals to lead the Thunder offense.
Wheaton (1-0) will host Loras College at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in the second day of the tournament. Loras (1-0) defeated Denison University 4-1 in Friday's opening match. Denison (0-1) will face Whitworth (0-1) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

The Thunder dominated play tonight as Wheaton out-shot the Pirates 21-4. Wheaton had five corner kicks in the contest, Whitworth had one.
Gnan (PICTURED LEFT) gave the Thunder a 1-0 lead against Whitworth in the 25
th minute as she scored off of a
Madison Peebles assist. Gnan's shot hit the crossbar and deflected into the goal for the home team's 1-0 lead. Whitworth fouled a Thunder player just inside the penalty box late in the first half to setup a penalty kick. Wheaton freshman
Izzy McNally converted the penalty kick at the 43:34 mark of the match to increase the hosts' lead to 2-0. Wheaton maintained its 2-0 lead at the halftime intermission.
Whitworth's Leah Corra scored in the 61
st minute from the top of the penalty box to cut the Thunder lead to 2-1. Gnan's second goal came in the 70
th minute as the beat the Pirates' defense and scored from the top of the box to extend the Thunder lead to 3-1. Gnan's third goal increased Wheaton's lead to 4-1 in the 75
th minute as she again tallied an unassisted goal from the top of the penalty box. The hosts maintained the 4-1 lead for the final 15 minutes of the match to secure the win.

Senior goalkeeper
Kathryn McGregor (PICTURED RIGHT) made three saves in the Thunder net, allowing one goal in 89 minutes. Freshman
Madison Lee played a little over one minute in the Thunder net. Whitworth starting goalkeeper Molly Webster allowed two goals and made four saves in 45 minutes of work. The Pirates' Sienna Tanner made six saves and allowed two goals in the final 45 minutes of the match.