KENOSHA, Wis. – The Carthage College men's soccer team completed a sweep of the 2016 College Conference of Illinois and Wis regular season and tournament titles Saturday with their second straight CCIW Tournament championship, defeating Wheaton College, 2-1, at Art Keller Field. 
 
The win also gives Carthage the CCIW's Automatic Bid and guaranteed berth into the 2016 Division III Men's Soccer Championship set to begin next weekend.

"It's interesting because we all knew after winning the East Coast Tournament versus Endicott and Gordon in Boston that we had the makes of something special," said head men's soccer coach Steve Domin after the win.  "The thing is you still have to go out and do it.  Winning championships takes great talent, but equally the will, hard work, some occasional luck and a lot of want.  I am really happy for the kids and their families.  One day they will fully realize how hard this was to do."

The top-seeded and nationally ranked number-ten team in the country Red Men improved to 18-3 overall on season, while the Thunder dropped to 8-8-3. 
 
The opening 30 minutes saw very few chances other than a couple set pieces by each team, however shots sailed wide or over the goal or the finishing touch was not there to put either team up in the opening minutes.

Looking at the first half Domin said, "For the game today, I felt like if we score one of those great opportunities and make it 3-0 this probably becomes a bit of a laugher.  Give Wheaton credit.  They have a tremendous history and they pushed everything forward in a last ditch effort that made things interesting with all the fireworks… Frankly, they didn't really have any quality looks at goal the first half and anything they gained in terms of field position we gave them in fouls or giveaways."
 
Carthage broke through in the 34th minute however following a Wheaton foul against Ivan Esquivel. 
 
On the ensuing free kick, Austin Bitta curved a ball over the wall and to the left of a diving Andrew Beard to put Carthage up 1-0.
 
Carthage added a second just six minutes into the second half as Alberto Eloyza played a back-heel pass to Ivan Esquivel who ripped a shot off the left post and into the net for a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute.

"Individually, Adrian Herrera was sticking tackles today all over and Jamie Tausend came to play on the backline.  Austin stuck that first goal and Ivan sealed it nicely to start the second half which really put things in our favor."
 
From there, the intensity turned up with three yellow cards and two red cards being issued the rest of the way.  In total two Red Men received yellow cards and the Thunder receiving four and two players being sent off.
 
Despite being down two men in the 86th minute, Wheaton managed to get a goal back as Max Carey hit a screamer around the wall and into the lower left corner past a diving Brayan Arce Justiniano.
 
Arce Justiniano finished with four saves in the win that saw Carthage outshoot the Thunder 17-10 overall and 9-5 on target.
 
Carthage will learn their NCAA Championship fate on Monday when the NCAA announces the 2016 Championship field at 12:00 p.m.

Domin closed saying, "By accomplishing this today it allows us to stay together for a little more time, but more importantly we are excited for what lies ahead."