WHEATON, Ill. – The Carthage College Lady Reds nearly came from two goals down Wednesday, October 14 at #17 Wheaton College's Joe Bean Stadium, but ran out of time as the Thunder hung-on to down the Lady Reds, 3-2.
 
The loss drops the Lady Reds to 3-10 on the season and 0-3 in the CCIW, while #17 Wheaton improved to 10-3 and 3-0 in conference.
 
Goalkeeper Abby Alm and back Darcy Stoecklin turned away a flurry of Wheaton shots making three point-blank goal line saves in the opening minutes of the match.
 
Moments later, Wheaton earned a penalty kick which would give the Thunder a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute past a diving Alm who guessed correctly on the Sarah Van Wingerden PK.
 
The Thunder would add a second in the eighth minute when a soft cross to the near post would be redirected by a Madison Peebles header for a 2-0 Thunder lead.
 
Carthage would look to get back the goals when Corinne Brennan would create two quality opportunities for the Lady Reds in the first half.  First in the 11th minute when a long clearance from Kara Aittama found Brennan who cracked a shot from 25-yards out just wide of the right post.  Later, Brennan slipped behind the defense but Wheaton goalkeeper Abbey Fuster beat Brennan to the ball before she could get off the shot.
 
Another opportunity would present itself when a missed clearance found defender Rachel Post at the top the box but the shot was cleared off the line by Thunder defense.
 
Carthage got one back against the Nation's #17-team when Rachel Post found Maggie Washelesky in the box off a free kick which Washelesky hit to the back post for her 10th goal of the season in the 35th minute. 
 
Wheaton would regain their two-goal lead and take it into half with their third in the 38th minute.
 
Goalkeeper Abby Alm would keep the Lady Reds in the game making six second half saves to finish with 10 on the evening.
 
Corinne Brennan would draw the Lady Reds within one in the 75th minute when following a missed clearance opportunity by the Thunder, Brennan would send a header to the back post just out of the reach of the goalkeeper.
 
The Lady Reds came within inches of tying the game in the 80th minute as Maggie Washelesky was on the receiving-end of a Kayla McGuinness cross that Washelesky was quicker too than the charging goal keeper, but Washelesky's header was pushed just wide the post.
 
The Lady Reds will look rebound from the disappointing loss Saturday during Carthage's "Family Weekend" festivities, when the Lady Reds host Augustana College at 12:00 p.m.