The first half of the Homecoming match ended scoreless with both teams just missing on several opportunities.
Jonathan Liecthy (St. Charles, Illinois/St. Charles East) put No. 25 Wheaton on top at 65:06 when he fired a penalty kick just past diving goalkeeper Joe Cindric (Willowick, Ohio/Eastlake North).
The Vikings tied the game at 69:30 when Kevin Gathje (Overland Park, Kansas/Blue Valley West) grabbed a perfect pass from Kristoffer Grahn and put the ball in the top corner of the net.
Wheaton scored the winning goal at 75:52 when the referee ruled the ball had crossed the goal line before it hit the left post and bounced out.
Coming into the match, North Park had won four of the previous six meetings. Only two of those contests (Wheaton’s 3-1 victory in 2007 and North Park’s 2-0 CCIW semifinal win in 2004) have been decided by more than one goal.
The Vikings drop to (0-1-0, 5-4) while Wheaton improved to 1-0-0, 5-2-1). North Park next takes on Carthage in an away match.
