NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Junior forward Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.) netted the only goal of the match to give the No. 8 Wheaton College (Mass.) men’s soccer team a 1-0 win over Macalester College this afternoon in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament at Rolf Mellby Field on the campus of host St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.
The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll, improve to 17-0-4 and advance to the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals to face No. 4 St. Olaf tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. EST. The Oles defeated No. 15 Williams College, 2-1, in the earlier match. Macalester's 10-game win streak comes to an end as it finishes its season with a 17-5-0 record.
Wheaton returns to the National Quarterfinals for the first time since 2003, when the Lyons played among the final four teams to vie for the national title.
Rhatigan’s marker came in the 24th minute of play and was the only score that Wheaton needed.
Both teams fired just three shots on frame during the match. The Scots owned a 12-5 advantage in total shots, including 7-2 in the second half. Macalester was awarded all eight corner kicks in the match.
Senior midfielder Aidan Doyle (Kingston, Mass.) took a free kick from well outside the box for the Lyons. He served the ball into the goal mouth, where Rhatigan re-directed the ball with a flick off his foot that caught a Scot defender and settled into the back of the left corner of the net with 21:37 left in the opening half. The 1-0 lead stood up as junior keeper Nick Phinney (Gorham, Maine) stopped both shots that he faced to register his second straight 1-0 shutout in the NCAA Tournament and his third blank sheet of the season. The shutout is the 13th of the year for the Blue and White.
Wheaton looked to double its lead early in the second half when senior midfielder Joey Everett (Danbury, Conn.) sent a lead pass to sophomore forward Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.), who collected the ball and carried it into the left side of the box, before unleashing a shot to the far post that went wide to keep it a one-goal game.
Macalester’s first real threat to score came in the 35th minute of play when senior midfielder Ondieki Maina (Kensington, Calif.) headed a serve off a free kick back to the Lyons’ goal, but Phinney was able to extend his hands to pull the ball down out of harm’s way. First year midfielder Milan Shah (Chicago, Ill.) also took aim at the Lyons’ net, but his shot ticketed for the right post, was cleared away by sophomore back Austin Hoadley (South Kent, Conn.) with 7:53 remaining in the opening stanza. The Scots threatened again with 23:19 to play in the second half on a corner kick. Senior defender Nick Kent (Minneapolis, Minn.) directed a header on net, but Phinney was right there for the stop to keep the shutout intact.
First-year keeper Justin Ratner (Dallas, Texas) recorded two saves on the day for Macalester.
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.