WHEATON, ILL.—The Carthage College women's soccer team's two-game road stretch at the tail end of their 2018 schedule began with a bout against #12 Wheaton College at Joe Bean Stadium in Wheaton, Illinois on Wednesday night. The Thunder, who entered Wednesday's affair fresh-off a 2-1 loss to #1 Washington University (Mo.), have already clinched the outright 2018 CCIW Regular Season Women's Soccer Championship with two conference bouts remaining on their schedule. The Lady Reds couldn't pull off the spoiler role as they dropped a 3-1 decision to Wheaton.
 
Carthage ended the Thunder's shutout bid in the 87^th minute when Joanne Stanfa converted a header of Jacey Kent's free kick to narrow the deficit to 3-1. Stanfa peppered three of Carthage's five shots in the contest while Kelly Evancich and Anna Butler contributed one.
 
Lady Reds goalkeeper Emily Furmanek notched five saves in her third-consecutive start. Lauren Ketchum stopped one shot for Wheaton over the opening 45:00 before Madison Lee recorded no saves in the second half.
 
The Lady Reds fall to 7-7-3, 1-4-2 CCIW while Wheaton stays unbeaten in CCIW play with a 14-3, 7-0 CCIW mark.
 
Wheaton (Ill.) 3, Lady Reds 1
 
The Thunder took a 1-0 lead on their 10^th and final shot of the first half in the 29^th minute when Sarah Tomich notched a goal off a feed from Carney Blake. Aeva Graber and Isabelle Oliver pushed Wheaton's lead to 3-0 with back-to-back goals in the 55^th minute.
 
The Lady Reds responded with a 4-3 advantage in shots to close the game. One of those found the back of the net in the 87^th minute courtesy of Stanfa's header off Kent's free kick to narrow Carthage's deficit to 3-1.
 
Wheaton's Anne Jekel drew the game's lone yellow card in the 87^th minute.
 
Carthage will conclude their 2018 season at Augustana College (Ill.) on Saturday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m.