PEORIA, Ill. – The Trine University men's soccer team competed on the road Wednesday at Wheaton College and ultimately fell 3-2 after coming from behind to tie the match up in the second half. The loss drops the Thunder to 2-4-2 on the year while Wheaton improves to 5-4-0.

The home team fired away at the Trine net to start the match with a pair of shots in the ninth minute, one in the tenth and another in the thirteenth. Senior goalkeeper Aidan McGonagle was able to make one save and the other three were blocked or off target.

Wheaton would claim a 2-0 edge with scores in the 20th and 24th minutes, but it was not without pressure from Trine to score themselves. Junior Luke Kearns narrowly missed the mark in the 21st minute with a shot that hit the post and he forced the opposing keeper to make a save in the 30th minute of action.

Coming out of halftime, a corner kick by senior Francesco Mazzei would result in a goal once more, just as the game-winning goal one match ago. Mazzei played the ball in to sophomore Gavin Hardy for his second goal of 2023 to cut the deficit in half.

In the 80th minute, Trine knotted the score up at two thanks to chaos inside. Mazzei forced a save with his shot on goal and the rebound would be sent home by sophomore Ryan Cote thanks to a dish by Hardy, giving him three points on the day.  

The tie score would not last long as a penalty kick goal by Wheaton in the 82nd minute would give them the lead right back. Sophomore Liam Zimmerman and senior Tyler Murphy made attempts to complete the comeback but were turned away late in the 3-2 loss.

Kearns, Murphy and Mazzei each tied for the team lead with three shots each. In net, McGonagle was saddled with the loss (2-2-1).

Up next, conference play begins with a home match versus #24 Calvin University on Tuesday, October 3 at 4 p.m. on Weaver Field.