Box Score The Carthage College men's soccer team (8-4-0, 0-1-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) just missed a chance to knock off its second nationally-ranked opponent in three days on Wednesday, Oct. 2 when the Red Men lost to No. 8 Wheaton College (Ill., 7-3-0, 1-0-0), 2-1, at Joe Bean Stadium in Wheaton, Ill.

The Thunder were ranked first and the Red Men ninth in the Oct. 1 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Central Region poll. Wednesday's game was the conference-opener for both teams. Carthage edged No. 20 Wisconsin-Whitewater,1-0, on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Art Keller Field in Kenosha, Wis.

Adam Blackman gave Wheaton an early, 1-0 lead when he scored his fourth goal of the season at 20:18. The Thunder made that lead stand up until 73:07 when the Red Men's Billy Hamilton (Sr., Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) scored his first goal of the year, assisted by Mike Heika, at 73:07.

Less than two minutes later, Wheaton came right back with a goal by Marshall Hollingsworth, assisted by Blackman, at 74:59 to take a 2-1 lead. The Thunder had a narrow, 16-13 edge in shots over the Red Men. Carthage goalkeeper Nick Huftalin (Sr., Rockford, Ill./Winnebago) had six saves.

Carthage travels to travel to Decatur, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 5 to take on CCIW-opponent Millikin University (2-7-1, 1-1-0 CCIW) in a 4 p.m. contest at the Millikin Soccer Complex.