ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The RV Washington University in St. Louis men's soccer team defeated Wheaton 4-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Bears are now 6-1 on the year.
 
Prior to the game, the Bears honored their five seniors – Nathan Szpak, Ethan Semelsberger, Zach Susee, Tyler Allred and Owen Deming.
 
The Bears scored quickly in the seventh minute as junior Ethan Wirtschafter finished a cross from first-year Miles Newman for a 1-0 lead. It marks Wirtschafter's team-leading seventh goal of the year.
 
Immediately following the goal, the Bears and Thunder went into a two-hour weather delay before resuming play at 3:15 p.m.
 
In the 20^th minute, Wheaton's Luke Vander Kolk scored on an assist from Cooper Falling, tying things up 1-1.
 
As the second half was about to start, the game went into another weather delay that lasted over an hour.
 
Back from the delay in the 58^th minute, junior James Whitehurst scored his second goal of the season, netting a cross from senior Zach Susee to put the Bears ahead 2-1.
 
WashU scored again in the 71^st minute as first-year Daniel Kochen took a cross from Susee and finished it for his first-career goal at WashU, making it a 3-1 game.
 
In the 86^th minute, Wheaton's Andrew Heeringa scored on a pass from Craig Rusin to make it a one-goal game with just under five minutes left to play.
 
One minute later, in the 87^th minute, First-year Sebastian Valdes scored on a pass from first-year Wole Adeoye, marking his first-career goal at WashU and putting the Bears ahead 4-2.
 
WashU registered 15 total shots to Wheaton's six including a 5-4 edge for shots on goal. The Bears also had 11 corner kicks to Wheaton's four.
 
Valdes had a team-high three total shots including two on goal. Junior goalkeeper Cal L'Hommedieu made two saves on the day.
 
The Bears make the short trip on Tuesday to Principia for a 5:30 p.m. game.