Colorado College defeated Wheaton (IL) 5-4 on Saturday.
Jack Hilliard scored at 88:48 to break a 4-4 tie and put Colorado College ahead late. The team achieved a season-high of five goals in the game.
First Half
- Hilliard took Colorado College's first shot at 2:11 before Wheaton (IL) went ahead 1-0 on Cooper Falling's goal from Jack Kern at 4:37.
- Colorado College pressed back with corner kicks at 5:25 and 6:03 around shots from
JT Newbury and
Zeke Lubin, and
Arlo Sollinger scored off Lubin's assist at 11:59 to tie it 1-1.
- Wheaton (IL) followed with pressure that included an
Alex Wolter save on Craig Rusin at 12:57 and two corner kicks, while Colorado College added a saved shot from
Aris Lindquist at 19:50.
- Colorado College had later chances from Lubin and
Lenny Lehmitz, including a 40:05 corner kick, but the half ended tied 1-1.
Second Half
-
Emmet Enriquez scored at 45:17 to put Colorado College ahead 2-1, and Colorado College followed with five corner kicks and shots from Lubin,
Teddy Opler, Hilliard and Lehmitz by 56:25.
- Wheaton (IL) tied it 2-2 on a TEAM goal at 66:30, but Colorado College moved back in front when Opler converted a penalty kick at 72:46. Opler has scored in back-to-back games, extending his scoring streak to two.
- After Wolter saved shots by Craig Rusin and Luke Vander Kolk, Colorado College earned two late corners before
Dylan Rich scored at 84:44 to make it 4-2. Rich has scored at least one goal in two consecutive games.
- Wheaton (IL) pulled even on goals by Vander Kolk at 85:22 and Ashur Eshw at 87:00, but Hilliard scored at 88:48 to give Colorado College a 5-4 win.
Opler scored and led Colorado College with five shots, including three on goal. Hilliard recorded the game-winning goal and finished with three shots. Sollinger tallied a game-tying goal on one of his three shots. Lubin added an assist and three shots.
Colorado College is 2-0-0 overall. Wheaton (IL) is 1-2-0 overall.
Up next, Colorado College soccer team travels to Thousand Oaks, California, to face Cal Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at 8 p.m.
Coach Palguta After the Game
Overall Thoughts
"I might have lost a few years off my life, but you know, as we just said to the guys, a win is a win, and we take them all. They did show a good team spirit and some perseverance to dig out that final goal, but we also have to recognize that that's a really big learning experience. If we're going to be the type of team we want to be, or we think that we can be, than we can't allow four goals at home, especially four set piece goals, right? We are trying to pride ourselves on being miserable to play against and you can't say that and give up four set piece goals. So definitely, it's a steep learning curve for our guys, but If you can win a game and learn a lesson, I think there's something to be said for that. So we're really proud of them for finding a way to dig out the result tonight."
Thoughts on the Team's Resilience
"Yeah, we're proud of them, right? Again, you can very easily go from being 4-2 up, then it goes 4-4, you can lose that game as well. It could just as easily go the other way, and we could have lost it. But we didn't and we did win. So again, there's, there's certainly some positive silver linings, and we will just move forward. We'll take the 3 points and move on, but we'll need to be better next week"
Did the Back-to-Back Effect Tonight's Performance
"Yes and no. Certainly we're fatigued, but I mean, we're the home team at altitude and that's [Wheaton's] 3rd game in 5 days. So, we don't have an excuse. However, our guys may be feeling it. I mean, really, the opponents should be feeling worse. So, you know, it's still early days. I think we're still finding our legs a little bit and with all the injuries we've had, our depth has been challenged a little bit. That being said, when we're at home, we always have to be the team that can outlast the opponent."
On Heading on the Road for the First Time
"Yeah, we're going to have to be stingier, plain and simple. You go on the road, you roll up your sleeves, and the game won't always be pretty, and we have to be able to go win a game, 1-0 or 2-1. Those are great results, right? As a coach, we'll take 1-0 over 5-4. Wonderful game if you're a neutral spectator, nine-goal affair. It's fun. As a coach, it drives you nuts. I said I'm going to lose a few years now because of that match, but again, we're going to learn and we'll be better. I think this group's got the character to be able to tighten up next weekend and be better."
