Wheaton, Ill. - An early offensive onslaught gave Wheaton some early separation and the Thunder men's soccer team cruised to its tenth-consecutive season-opening victory. For the second-straight year five different players recorded goals as the Thunder blanked Wittenberg 5-0 in front of a raucous crowd of 1,287 at Joe Bean Stadium. Wheaton will wrap up the 2019 Bob Baptista Invitational on Saturday night with a 7:30 pm matchup against St. Norbert College, who was a 2-0 winner over Elmhurst on Friday afternoon.
 
Wheaton dominated the run of play throughout the game, outshooting the Tigers 16-4 on the night including an 11-1 edge in shots on goal. Hasten Biddlecome extinguished a five-alarm fire for his only save of the night, stopping a Tiger breakaway in the 60^th minute to preserve the clean sheet for Wheaton's third-straight season-opening shutout. Jason Bowen made two saves and allowed three goals in 45 minutes of work. Cooper Robertson made three saves with two goals allowed in 45 minutes of work.
 
An early edge of possession, finally broke through for the Thunder ten minutes into the match when freshman Alessandro D'Argento let loose a shot from 25 yards out (VIDEO) that deflected off a Tiger defender and into the back of the net for the early 1-0 lead. Just over seven and a half minutes later, Miseker Wingate doubled Wheaton's lead with a right-footed lazer (VIDEO) from the top of the 18-yard box that tucked inside the near post. Michael Groza wrapped up Wheaton's first half hat trick in the 27^th minute, blasted a free kick from distance (VIDEO) that pounded off the far post and into the net for his first collegiate goal.
 
The 3-0 advantage would hold through halftime and well into the second half until sophomore transfer Stafford Dowling headed home a goal (VIDEO) to push the lead to 4-0 in the 66^th minute. Just under six minutes later, freshman Silas Galvao added his first collegiate goaL (VIDEO) to account for a 5-0 Wheaton lead. Dowling added to his Thunder debut by assisting on the final goal along with Austin Pack.