NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The No. 8 Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team was defeated by host No. 4 St. Olaf College, 2-0, this afternoon in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III National Tournament at Rolf Mellby Field in Northfield, Minn.
Both teams were ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll. The Lyons finish their season with a 17-2-4 record, while the Oles improve to 20-2-3. St. Olaf advances to the NCAA Division III Championship Semifinals to take on No. 1 Tufts University, a 2-1 winner over No. 10 Bowdoin College.
Wheaton began its season being picked seventh in the NEWMAC Coaches Poll and ended in the NCAA Elite Eight for its first appearance in the national quarterfinals since 2003, when the Lyons played in the national semifinals. The Blue and White's win total is the most since 2014, when they were 17-4-2.
Sophomore forward Jack Soares (Waxhaw, N.C.) netted both goals for the Oles – one in the fourth minute of play and the other in the 90th.
Despite Wheaton coming out with a lot of energy, St. Olaf was able to gain control of the ball and a long cross from junior midfielder Ryan Bechtel (Plainfield, Ill.) to Soares just outside the goalmouth on the right side. A seemingly innocuous possession turned dangerous for Wheaton quickly as Soares directed a shot inside the far left post for his 13th goal of the season, just 3:42 into the match. The shot was the only attempt on frame from either team for the half, despite a 6-3 margin for the home team in total shots.
The Lyons controlled possession for much of the second stanza, camping out in St. Olaf's lower third for most of the half. Wheaton held a 9-3 shot advantage and fired four shots on net, compared to a pair from the Oles.
The Lyons' best chance to score came early in the second half. Sophomore forward Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.) carried the ball into the top left corner of the box, dribbled just outside of the goalmouth, and stopped as his defender slipped to the ground. The Wheaton forward switched to his left foot for a strong shot toward the near post, but St. Olaf senior keeper Jack Hobday (Rochester, Minn.) made a dive to his left to deflect the ball away and keep the shutout intact.
The Lyons applied pressure throughout the second half, especially in the final 10 minutes of play, but the Oles were able to gain possession near the final minute of play when they sent the ball into the corner of Wheaton's defensive zone. What began as a time-wasting tactic turned into another scoring opportunity for St. Olaf. Soares was able to maneuver through the Lyons' defense on the right side of the box before emerging to fire a left-footed shot into the left side of the net for his second marker of the day and 14th of the season. The goal came with just 57 ticks left in the contest and gave the home team an important insurance goal to cement its victory.
Senior midfielder Aidan Doyle (Kingston, Mass.) looked to put Wheaton on the board with one last-gasp effort, firing a shot from the top of the box with 33 seconds left, but Hobday leapt up to punch the ball away and over the crossbar.
Vera paced the Lyons' attack with three shots, including one on net.
Soares recorded four shots to lead the Oles, and Hobday made four saves to post his seventh shutout of the year.
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.