The 2007 Wheaton College women's soccer team will be inducted into the school's fall of fame. | www.athletics.wheaton.edu
The 2007 Wheaton College women's soccer team will be inducted into the school's fall of fame. | www.athletics.wheaton.edu
The undefeated Wheaton College women's soccer team from 2007 isn't done winning.
The team, which went 27-0 and won the NCAA Division III title, has earned a spot in the college's hall of fame, the school announced recently.
The national championship was the Thunder’s third in four years. The Thunder outscored opponents by a combined 44-8 in regular season play, beating high-profile opponents like Calvin College, Kenyon College and the College of St. Benedict on its way to a perfect season.
The team also won its 13th straight CCIW championship and saw Taryne Lee named conference player of the year and Pete Felske CCIW coach of the year.
The Thunder had a first-round bye in the Division III National Championship, then off St. Scholastica 7-1 -- with the single goal being the only one Wheaton gave up in the playoffs. The Thunder ended up outscoring its opponents 17-1.
During the second round, the Thunder topped the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point 4-0, then beat Western Connecticut State to claim a spot in the championship game. In the semi, the Thunder took the lead In the 34th minute when Sarah Richardson took a shot on goal, which deflected off of the goalkeeper's hands before being slotted home by Libby Passiales.
The Thunder netted two more goals in the second half thanks to Lee and Jami Herrmann.
The Thunder faced No. 2-ranked Messiah Falcons in the title game. Herrmann scored the opening goal of the match near the end of the first half, which was all Wheaton would need to claim the national title.
The Thunder's Bethany Barton was named the most outstanding defensive player of the tournament, and Wheaton midfielder Kari Klynstra was named most outstanding offensive player.
During the season, Lee set a school record 27 goals and was named player of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III. Richardson scored 19 goals and racked up 21 assists. Passiales scored 11 goals, and Brittany Bergh netted nine.
The hall of fame induction event will take place over homecoming weekend on Sept. 30. The 2007 team will be honored during halftime of Wheaton’s football game against Illinois Wesleyan and at halftime of the women’s soccer match against North Park University.
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