PICTURED ABOVE: Chelsea Gnan scored the game-winning goal late in the second half in Wheaton's 2-1 victory over Loras on Saturday night.

Wheaton, Ill. - The wait was worth it for the Thunder women's soccer team on Saturday night. Trailing for most of the game but dominating the possession and shot attempts, the Thunder struck twice in the final 12 minutes to knock off Loras 2-1 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The win advances the Thunder to the Sectional Semifinal round of the tournament for the second consecutive season where Wheaton (18-3-1) will face Centre College.

The early minutes of Saturday's match were wide open with both teams finding space to attack, but it would be the Duhawks who struck first, following a foul just outside the box. Fresh off her game-winning goal in Loras' First Round victory, Gretchen Schutz drove a free kick that redirected off the Thunder wall of defense and flew into the far corner of the net to give the Duhawks the early lead just six minutes into the match.

Loras used the early momentum to continue pushing forward, looking to expand the lead with two shots in the next two minutes, but Wheaton was able to stem the tide and regain control of the match. In the 13th minute, Izzy McNally drove past several defenders and drove a hard shot that hit the far post and bounded away for a corner kick. From there, Wheaton dominated the possession and scoring chances, outshooting the Duhawks 10-4 in the first half and pressing Loras goalkeeper Kaylee Coble into four first half saves. Coble was up to the task each time, carrying the Duhawks to a 1-0 halftime lead. Coble would finish with six saves as the Duhawks were outshot 22-8 on the night.

An early second half counterattack opportunity from Schutz flew just wide before Wheaton began peppering the Loras net with shots. The Loras defense was up to the task, blocking several Thunder shots and continuing to turn opportunities away for corner kicks. With the Duhawk defense sagging back, Wheaton was finally able to breakthrough with a goal in the 80th minute when Aeva Graber lost her mark down the right side and twisted the ball under the crossbar and into the net from an impossible angle (VIDEO), tying the match at 1-1.

Sensing an opportunity, Wheaton's attack ramped up in the following minutes with Graber nearly giving Wheaton the lead in the 82nd minute when her shot from distance clipped the crossbar and bounced away from danger. Loras countered with a chance minutes later following a Wheaton foul near the end line. The short corner from Schutz came bent dangerously towards the goal only to parried by Lauren Ketchum against the crossbar and finally cleared away from danger for the last of Ketchum's two saves on the night.

Moments later, the Thunder would the opportunity that eluded them for most of the night when Madison Peebles found Jensen Ellis at the top of the 18-yard box. Ellis calmly slid the ball outside to Chelsea Gnan who one-timed a shot past Coble (VIDEO), giving Wheaton a 2-1 lead with just over three minutes left to play. Wheaton was successfully able to keep the Duhawks away from any further chances, eliminating Loras from the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

Wheaton will next be in action on Friday, November 16, at 7:30 pm, when the Thunder will face the Colonels of Centre College for the first-ever matchup between the two schools in women's soccer. Centre (21-0) advanced by recording its 15th-straight shutout with a 1-0 victory over Grove City. WashU (19-0) will host the Sectional rounds and will face UW-La Crosse (18-2-3) at 5 pm on Friday in the other Sectional Semifinal match.