CHICAGO, Ill. -- The Wheaton College Men's Soccer team emerged victorious over North Park University with a late goal, spoiling the Vikings' Homecoming on Saturday night. The Thunder handed the Vikings their first shutout of 2025 in the 1-0 loss.
The match remained scoreless until the 87th minute when Luke Vander Kolk broke through the North Park defense, finishing a set piece assisted by Cooper Falling and Craig Rusin. The corner kick from Falling found the head of Rusin before the ball was redirected off of Vander Kolk's thigh to break the scoreless tie. The goal marked Vander Kolk's 10th of the season and proved to be the game-winner.
North Park (6-3-0, 1-2-0) outshot Wheaton 18-14 and earned six corner kicks to Wheaton's five, but couldn't find the back of the net. Despite several promising chances, including six shots from Carson Belcher, the Vikings were stymied by Wheaton goalkeeper Jack Krahel, who recorded four saves en route to his third shutout of the season.
The physical match saw seven yellow cards issued, with North Park committing 16 fouls to Wheaton's 11. Both teams battled for midfield control, but Wheaton's disciplined back line and timely substitutions helped them maintain composure and secure the slow-burn win.
With the victory, Wheaton improves to 6-2-3 overall and remains unbeaten in conference play (2-0-0), while North Park drops to an unfamiliar 1-2-0 in the CCIW.
Top Performers
Wheaton (IL):
- Luke Vander Kolk – Game-winning goal, 2 shots on goal
- Jack Krahel – 4 saves, shutout
- Cooper Falling – 1 assist, 2 shots
North Park:
What's Next?Â
North Park hits the road for a pair of conference games, beginning with Elmhurst University on Wednesday, October 8. Kickoff at Langhorst Field is set for 7:00 PM CT.
