MIDDLETOWN, CT. -  Capitalizing on a beautiful November day in Connecticut, the Wesleyan men's soccer team saw the largest goal differential in nearly three years on Saturday afternoon, tossing eight goals from seven different players to knock Lehman College from the 2025 NCAA Tournament, 8-1, advancing to the Second Round for the second year in a row in front of a home crowd at Jackson Field.

Now 10-4-4 overall, the Cardinals clinch the program's 11^th 10-win season, the first since 2021, and the seventh under head coach Geoff Wheeler. The Cardinals will face Rowan University on Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament at 1 p.m. 

Welcoming the CUNYAC Champions (10-3-4 overall) to Middletown, the Cardinals did not skip a beat to make their case to advance. Seven Cardinals would score before the end of the allotted 90 regulation minutes, but it was Riley Harvey '29 who struck gold first. With just over 10 minutes of action underway from the opening kickoff, Ford Cash '29 took a throw in low on the far line. The ball connected with Dylan Clack '26 on a header and never touched the ground as Harvey butted the ball over the line on the next touch.

The Cardinals allowed five more minutes to pass before it was time for Joshwin Jennings '27 to put a ball on net. Cash settled the ball in the near corner before driving inside the box, making the centering pass back to Jenning's inside the arc. Jennings' right foot found the top right corner.

At 26:40, Yousuf Saeed '27 was the third goal of the match. Imposing down the middle, Saeed caught his pass from Jennings to his right and fired a cannon of a shot from far above the box, leaving little time for Lightning goalkeeper Andres Barajas to get across the goal. Two minutes later, Niall Fergus '27 made it a four-goal game on his first touch of the match. Fergus' first goal of the season fell at his feet on a cross from Saeed, Fergus drawing Barajas out of the Lightning goal.  

The Cardinals entered the half with five shots on a goal, four resulting in a tally on the books and began the second half in the same manner. Aiden Londergan '27, the Cardinals' leading scorer, picked up his eighth of the season less than a minute after the kickoff, a match too quick for relieving goalkeeper Matthew Strainz. The Lightning would answer in the 53^rd minute with a penalty kick, saving themselves from a shutout.

Kickstarting Will Martin's '26 game-ending point collection, Chris Bates '29 scored his first career goal as a Cardinal, left completely unattended inside the box as Martin was the main distraction coming up on the inside of the far line. Bates then assisted on Martin's first goal of the game, taking a centering pass from Julian Cauvin '29 before a quick tap to Martin on his right put the ball over the line. Martin closed the game a minute later unassisted.

In goal, senior goalkeeper Mathis Blanc '26 earned the win as he and Josh Nadison '26 faced just two shots on goal and combined for one save credited to Nadison. Barajas and Strainz made six saves for the lightning.