Elmhurst, Ill. -- The Wheaton women's soccer team took to the road for the first time in conference play this afternoon, as the Elmhurst Bluejays welcomed the Thunder for their Homecoming weekend match. Wheaton controlled Saturday's contest and used a pair of first-half goals from Audrey Sexson and Mia Blair to pick up a 2-0 win to begin their four-match road trip. The Thunder's record is now 2-1 in CCIW action.

The visitors earned an impressive 22-2 disparity in shots and did not allow the Bluejays to register a single effort on target this afternoon. The Thunder put ten of their attempts on goal and earned eight corner kicks to Elmhurst's zero.

Juliana Norman earned a clean sheet in her collegiate debut for the Thunder, and the freshman keeper did not have to make a single save in Saturday's win. Sexson, Blair, Emily Setran, and Julia Tallungan each tallied two shots on frame, with the first two providing the unassisted goals to lead Wheaton to victory. Katherine Ashley and Morgan Beamer also posted one attempt on goal in today's match.

Wheaton put three shots on target and hit the crossbar in the opening 30 minutes of the match as they sought a fast go-ahead goal, but the Elmhurst defense managed to keep their visitors at bay. But nine minutes before halftime, Mia Blair was pushed over in the box following a throw-in, and the Thunder found the avenue to goal that they were searching for via a penalty kick. Audrey Sexson rolled the spot kick into the back of the net (pictured below) 
to put the guests in front and notch her team-high fifth goal of the campaign.

Wheaton did not take their foot off the gas pedal as the first half drew to a close, and just 30 seconds before the halftime whistle sounded, Blair doubled the Thunder's lead with a solo effort from the right corner of the box. The junior's initial shot from well outside the area was blocked, but she stole in to collect the rebound before a defender could sweep it away and placed her follow-up attempt into the bottom left corner to give the guests a deserved two-goal cushion.

The visitors placed four shots on goal after halftime and hit the woodwork on multiple occasions in seeking to extend their advantage even further. But they had to settle for the midfield duo's pair of goals in the first period and were able to pick up their second CCIW win in a week's span thanks to a dominant defensive display that never looked like conceding to the Bluejays today.

Wheaton faces Carroll University on Wednesday night in Waukesha in their next contest. Kick off between the Thunder and the Pioneers is scheduled for 7 PM.