Wheaton, Ill. -- Four days after claiming an important Senior Night victory at Joe Bean Stadium, the Thunder women's soccer team returned to its home field to welcome the Carthage College Firebirds for another CCIW test. The Wheaton program had previously won all 21 home encounters against tonight's opponent in the history of the series, and despite Carthage's best efforts at ending that streak, the impressive record extended to another year thanks to a gritty 2-1 result for the hosts. The Thunder are now 3-1-1 in conference matches this season and maintained their second-place standing in the CCIW table with Wednesday's victory.

The visitors from Wisconsin accounted for the game's first shot on target just 30 seconds after the opening whistle, but it was the home side that did almost all of the attacking in the first 20 minutes. After winning four corner kicks and seeing their first attempt on goal cleared away in the span of the opening nine minutes, the Thunder found the breakthrough in the 11th minute thanks to Emily Setran. Lauren Walmer lofted a pass from the left midfield up to Lily Lindquist, who won her header at the top of the box to steer the ball into the path of Setran on the right side. The junior took a couple of touches to bring it under control, and having seen her first swing at the ball blocked by the marking Firebirds defender, quickly tried again and fired in a clinical strike from the top of the area into the bottom left corner to give the hosts a deserved early lead. (VIDEO)
This was Setran's fifth goal of the season, bringing her level with Grace Crowder for the most on the team this year.

Setran and Lindquist each registered another shot on target after this breakthrough, but despite enjoying most of the possession and offensive pressure, the Thunder were unable to double their advantage. Carthage hit the crossbar and put two attempts on goal following Wheaton's opener, but the hosts successfully defended their 1-0 lead heading into the intermission.

The first 20 minutes of the second half was a cagey period, with Wheaton carving out three corner kick opportunities after the hour-mark but neither side putting an effort on goal until the 68-minute mark. With the Thunder rotating personnel amid a demanding schedule and the desperation for an equalizer growing in every passing minute, the Firebirds finally showed an offensive spark midway through the second half. The visitors started to see more of the ball in the attacking third of the field and knotted the scoreline up at 1-1 in the 74th minute with a close-range header following some smooth build-up play. This proved to be a shock to Wheaton's system having been the team on top for most of the contest. Marissa Davis and Crowder quickly responded with shots on goal either side of the 80-minute mark, but it seemed as though Carthage might finally avoid defeat at Bean Stadium for the very first time.

But any Firebird celebrations at earning a historic point on the road were prematurely ended when the Thunder's pressure finally paid off in the last two minutes of the game. Wheaton won another corner kick, and the veteran set piece specialist Katherine Ashley whipped her cross from the left side onto the goal line. It looked like the opposing goalkeeper was in position to claim the cross, but she fumbled the catch and it slipped through her grasp to continue its trajectory towards the net. Fortunately for the home side, Lindquist was the first player the ball fell to and was in the perfect position to turn it home from right on the line and notch her first game-winning goal for the Orange and Blue. (VIDEO) 

The Thunder may have snatched the three points in dramatic and fortuitous circumstances, but the box score statistics suggest only one winner from Wednesday's meeting anyway. Wheaton fired off 21 shot attempts to Carthage's ten and put two more efforts on frame than the Firebirds did. The hosts also controlled the pace of the game with 64% of the possession and earned ten more corners at a lopsided 12-2 split.

Lindquist posted a match-high four shots on target tonight, with her final effort proving to be the difference-maker. Setran scored the opener from her first of two attempts on goal, while Crowder and Davis chipped in with one shot on target each. Ashley's assist saw her go level with Mia Blair for five on the year, and the two senior teammates are tied for the fourth-most assists in the conference so far this season. Elizabeth Netz made five saves in the Thunder goal to help secure her sixth collegiate win.

After logging consecutive home victories, the Wheaton women's team will head back out on the road this weekend. The Thunder travel down to Decatur to take on the Millikin University Big Blue in a 5 PM matchup on Saturday.