Wheaton, Ill. -- The Wheaton men's soccer team took to the Joe Bean Stadium turf for the second time this week on Saturday, as the Thunder welcomed Millikin University to town for the program's annual Senior Night fixture. The Orange and Blue netted twice in each half of tonight's contest to register a smooth 4-0 win and notch their seventh-consecutive victory, marking the program's longest win streak since the 2014 season in which Wheaton reached the Division III National Championship game. Saturday's result improved the Thunder's record to 10-2-3 and maintained their perfect mark in conference play at 6-0-0. Wheaton now has a six-point lead at the top of the CCIW standings and can clinch a share of the conference's regular season title as soon as Wednesday.

The Thunder became the first team to shut Millikin out in CCIW competition this fall and extended their remarkable home record against the Big Blue to 25-0-0 all-time with a comprehensive performance on Saturday. After honoring the 11 senior players on this year's roster in a pre-match ceremony, Wheaton came flying out of the gate and posted the game's first nine shot attempts. After drawing three stops from the Big Blue's goalkeeper in the opening 12 minutes, the home side found the breakthrough in unorthodox fashion. Craig Rusin scored directly from a free kick near the left corner flag on a narrow angle via a high-arcing ball into the box that sailed over the keeper's dive. (VIDEO) The strike marked the sophomore transfer's first career goal for the Thunder and served as just reward for his team's early dominance.

Millikin finally posted a shot attempt of its own three minutes after falling behind, but Wheaton doubled the advantage in the 24th minute when Rusin lifted a trademark long ball over the top of the opposition defense for Jack Kern to run onto. The junior (pictured right) timed his approach perfectly and beat the recovering Millikin defenders to the bouncing ball before lifting an acrobatic first-time finish from the top of the box 
past the out-rushing goalkeeper just inside the far post. (VIDEO)

The visitors enjoyed their best spell of the first half shortly after conceding for the second time, but the Thunder's defensive unit and goalkeeper Jack Krahel (pictured below) repelled each attack that came their way and ensured that Wheaton's 2-0 lead remained intact heading into the
break. 

The start of the second half of Saturday's match was delayed by lightning in the surrounding area. But the weather-enforced stoppage did not lead to any change in the game's direction, as the Thunder continued their control of the contest once the action resumed. Wheaton made it 3-0 in the 58th minute through another set piece strike from Rusin, as the Indiana native scored a rare olimpico goal by firing a corner kick directly on target with a dangerous in-swinger that caused uncertainty in the Millikin penalty area (VIDEO).

The scoring was completed on 71 minutes when Timmy Jones played a promising ball to the back post for fellow midfielder Cooper Falling, who steered his shot into the path of an unfortunate Big Blue defender, who directed an attempted stoppage into his own net. With their job done on both ends of the field, the Thunder were then able to see out the game in a relaxed manner and celebrate another important three points on Senior Night.

Wheaton posted a noteworthy tally of 28 total shots on Saturday and directed half of these efforts on target, while Millikin impressively steered all ten of its attempts on goal tonight. But two-time reigning CCIW Defensive Player of the Week Krahel continued his smothering form and stopped all ten shots to post a new career-high mark. His ten saves are the most in a single game for Wheaton since Hasten Biddlecome registered the same amount in a match at Rutgers University-Newark four years ago to the day. The Thunder took twice as many corner kicks as the Big Blue this evening at an 8-4 split and enjoyed a significant possession advantage at a 61-39% disparity.

Rusin ran the show offensively for the hosts on Saturday, scoring from both of his shots on target and earning an assist for a total of five points. Kern finished off the aforementioned assist and led all players with three attempts on frame, while Falling and Mason Louth joined Rusin on two shots on goal tonight.

After picking up consecutive wins on home turf, the Thunder head back out on the road next week. Wheaton will travel across state lines to visit Carroll University for a 7 PM matchup on Wednesday. A victory for the Thunder in this game would see them clinch at least a share of the CCIW regular season title, and they could secure the trophy outright with three points if second-placed Illinois Wesleyan fails to win at North Central the same night.