KENOSHA, Wis. – The Carthage College Red Men put on a display of quality goals Wednesday night in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin showdown at Art Keller Field, defeating the Wheaton College Thunder, 4-2, for the programs third-ever win over Wheaton.
 
Carthage, #25 in this week's NSCAA Coaches Poll, improves to 9-3-0 on the season and remains perfect at 2-0-0 in the CCIW.  Wheaton falls to 2-6-3 and 0-2-0 in the conference.
 
A speedy Austin Bitta setup the first goal of the match in favor of the Red Men in the sixth minute, as Bitta beat a Wheaton defender to the end line where he played a ball across the six.  The dangerous ball enticed center back Reed Bradley to slide in for a clearance but redirected the ball on net and past Andrew Beard for an own goal.
 
The lead was short-lived however as a foul in the box just four minutes later allowed Wheaton to get the equalizer on a penalty kick by Ben Bakke that beat an outstretched Brayan Arce Justiniano.
 
"If you watched the first 8 minutes you would have, "said how is Carthage up?"" opened head men's soccer coach Steve Domin.  "We really didn't approach the very beginning of the game well and could have gotten burned… We started to settle in around the middle of the first half and didn't let Wheaton breathe.  Austin Bitta, Adrian Herrera and Freddy Martinez were having much success in important parts of the field."
 
Six minutes into the second half the Red Men reclaimed the lead as Jamie Tausend received a ball 30 yards out.  Tausend made cut through the first two defenders then split two more with a Maradona turn leaving Tausend all alone with backup goalkeeper Justin Majeski.  When Tausend reached the corner of the six he blasted a laser over the head of the Wheaton keeper to reclaim a 2-1 lead.
 
"Coming out and earning our second goal of the second half was powerful," said Domin  "Jaime really made an incredible effort and move into dangerous space at the top of the box and shelved a ball as hard as I have seen all year."
 
Carthage continued to pressure the Thunder backline from there and in the 74th minute were able to make them pay.
 
Sahr Mahoney pressured a ball played back to the Wheaton keeper and upon blocking the clear was tackled by the keeper, forcing the referee to award Carthage a penalty kick in the 74th minute.
 
"The game really turned when Sahr picked the keepers pocket to earn the critical PK.  I wish he were able to finish it himself because he was all alone before getting tackled.  I'm really happy for him," stated the head coach.
 
On the ensuing penalty, Adrian Herrera stepped up and finessed home the goal as he got the goalkeeper going the wrong way.
 
It proved to be the game-winner as just three minutes later Max Carey curled a free kick from 20 yards out around the wall and inside the back post to once again cut the margin to one at 3-2.
 
Juan Marban put the exclamation on the win in the 84th minute with the Red Men's fourth and final goal of the match.  Freddy Martinez began play with a ball over the backline to Johnny Rimkus who reached it at the touchline and sent a cross to the top of the 18 on the back post.  On the receiving end of Rimkus' pass, Marban struck a shot that found the back post's side netting, never giving the Wheaton keeper a chance.
 
"Just when you thought things were going to get interesting again Johnny Rimkus made on of the best passes I have seen," proclaimed Domin, "finding a sprinting Juan Marban who laced a bullet into the left side netting.  Those may have been the nicest plays of the week."
 
Carthage's Acre Justiniano took the win in goal making three save, all in the second half, including once on a point-blank opportunity to keep it at a one-goal lead for the Red Men.
 
The Red Men hit the road of a West Coast weekend trip to the Bay area where Carthage will face the University of California-Santa Cruz on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. pacific/12:30 p.m. central in a non-conference matchup. 
 
"Things keep getting tougher.  Out to the West Coast this weekend followed by a quick turn around to at North Park. Should be fun."
 
Following that Carthage will hit the road for the second time in the CCIW this season with a trip to Chicago on Wednesday, October 12th to face North Park University who moved to 4-0-0 in the CCIW with a win over Illinois Wesleyan Wednesday.