Covenant News

Wheaton Overcomes Vikings Men's Soccer Team

CHICAGO, IL (October 5, 2002) - Sean Pearman scored a first-half goal and Justin Risma added another in the second half as Wheaton College beat North Park University (NPU) 2-0 in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin men's soccer game.

The Thunder raised their record to 7-2-1, 2-0-1 in conference play, while North Park fell to 7-3-1, 1-2. In the process, Wheaton avenged a 2-1 defeat to the Vikings a year earlier.

Pearman raced 60 yards with a breakaway pass as two NPU defenders ran in close pursuit. He got past defender Darryl Payne and beat goalie Matt Evans with a 12-yard kick into the net at the 28-minute mark.

Late in the first half, the Vikings had a scoring chance at the 43-minute mark as Matt Moncala took a Fredrick Airosto pass near the Wheaton goal. But Wheaton goalie Pat King came far out of the goal to smother the ball just as Moncala kicked it and the ball bounced away.

In the second half, neither team had a viable chance to score until 11 minutes remained in the game. Risma was wide left on a shot from 20 yards away, but a minute later he drilled a ball past Evans from about the same spot on the field.

NPU was continually frustrated by the Wheaton defense, but even when the Vikings had opportunities, they couldn't capitalize. The most frustrating moment came at the end of the game as Andreas Olofsson hit the post with a header. Airosto was in front of the net as the ball bounded toward him, but his header went over the net.

The Vikings seemed ready to play Wheaton, having whipped North Central College 7-0 last Saturday. Airosto had two goals and an assist while Moncala added two goals for coach John Born's squad.

In other sports news at North Park:

• NPU's girls soccer team (7-3) beat visiting North Central College last Saturday 5-1 as Beth Johnson scored twice and the Vikings edged Concordia University 1-0 on Monday thanks to a goal by Abbie Frank.
• In cross-country, NPU's women placed sixth of 19 teams at the 40th annual Beloit College Old English Classic Saturday. The men's team finished 12th of 22 teams.
• The Vikings volleyball team lost a conference match to Carthage College in three games Tuesday, but a strong performance at the Wheaton College Invitational last weekend helped the team raise its overall record to 6-11. NPU beat Asbury College of Kentucky three games to two on Saturday as Lindsay Reh totaled 13 kills and Kristin Bortoli had 42 set assists and four service aces. Reh posted 10 kills and Rosamond Fields had three solo blocks in three-game victory over Trinity International University earlier that day. On Friday, the Vikings split two matches to open the tourney. NPU lost to Judson College three games to two despite 11 kills each by Reh and Fields. Reh had nine kills and Amanda Pheonix added eight more in a three-game win over Milwaukee School of Engineering.

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