Wheaton, Ill. - The Wheaton women's soccer team, ranked 10th in Division III, earned its seventh-consecutive victory on Saturday night with a 2-1 win at home against North Central (5-8-1/1-4-1 CCIW). Wheaton improves to 12-2-0 on the season and 5-0-0 in CCIW play.
Tonight's victory was the 500th all-time win for the Wheaton women's soccer program and for head coach
Pete Felske. Felske is just the third Division III women's soccer coach and only the sixth NCAA women's soccer coach (at any Division) to achieve the 500-win milestone.
Felske commented of the 500-victory milestone, "It is a testament to the quality of kid that has played in this program. God has brought us some great players through the years and some great teams to work with. We have had great coaches along the way that have been loyal and believers that have been great mentors for our kids." The veteran head coach concluded, "God has really blessed our school and our program. We have kids that committed to the mission of the school and what we do. It has been fun."
Sara Bakke (PICTURED LEFT) scored her team-high sixth goal of the season at 35:37 to give Wheaton a 1-0 lead (
VIDEO). Bakke tapped the ball into the lower left corner of the open net for the go-ahead goal.
Aeva Graber beat North Central goalkeeper Gretchen Frantz on the play and passed off to Bakke who calmly converted the goal. Wheaton led 1-0 at halftime as the Thunder held a 12-3 advantage in shots at the intermission.
The contest remained 1-0 for the majority of the second half. A hand ball against North Central in the 18-yard box at the 60:26 mark of the match resulted in a penalty kick opportunity for the Thunder. Frantz made a save on the penalty kick to keep the Thunder lead at 1-0. A second hand ball against the Cardinals came at 82:21 as a Thunder cross was kicked by a Cardinal player at the top left corner of the six-yard box and into her own hand. Thunder freshman
Aeva Graber converted the penalty kick for her fifth goal of the season to increase Wheaton's lead to 2-0.
Less than two minutes later, North Central's Dana Plotke scored for the Cardinals on a goal that was assisted by Sara Sheridan to cut the Thunder lead to 2-1. Each team had a shot attempt in the final three minutes of the match, but neither team converted as the match ended in Wheaton's 2-1 victory.
Wheaton goalkeeper
Lauren Ketchum made two saves and allowed one goal in 90 minutes of work in the Thunder net. Frantz stopped eight Wheaton shots and allowed two goals.
Wheaton held a 25-6 advantage in shots in the match, including a 10-3 edge in shots on goal. Wheaton was awarded nine corner kicks in the match and North Central had two.
Wheaton travels to Millikin next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. for a conference match with the Big Blue.
