LINCOLN, Neb. (Oct. 14, 2025) – Despite an early strike from junior forward Max Matthies, the Nebraska Wesleyan men's soccer team couldn't hold off Wartburg on Tuesday evening at Abel Stadium, falling 2–1 in American Rivers Conference play.
The Prairie Wolves drop to 4-5-4 overall and 2-1-1 in the A-R-C, while the Knights move to 5-6-1 (3-1 A-R-C) after rallying for two second-half goals off set pieces.
Wartburg dictated the tempo for much of the evening, holding a 13–6 advantage in total shots and a 5–0 edge in corner kicks. Despite the deficit, senior goalkeeper Graedon Hilton stood tall early, recording five first-half saves to keep NWU in front.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nebraska Wesleyan weathered early pressure before breaking through in the 29th minute. After junior
Franklyn Herasme rose above his defender to win the header, senior
Bryan Andrade sent a curling service into the box and directed it toward goal, where Matthies buried a right-footed volley to give NWU a 1–0 lead.
The Prairie Wolves nearly doubled the advantage minutes later when Wil Tobaben found space inside the box, but his strike missed just wide, a chance that could have flipped the game's momentum.
Hilton was outstanding in goal through the opening 45 minutes, making five saves to preserve the one-goal edge at halftime.
Wartburg adjusted coming out of the break and turned sustained possession into pressure. The Knights equalized in the 69th minute when a free kick deflected off an NWU defender and found its way into the net. Seven minutes later, they capitalized again, his time on a long throw-in that set up Blake Whitlow for the go-ahead goal.
NWU pushed late but couldn't generate a shot on goal in the second half, as Wartburg's backline locked down the box to secure the comeback win.
Inside the Box Score
Up Next
Nebraska Wesleyan continues A-R-C play on Saturday, October 18th, hosting Central College at Abel Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 PM., as the Prairie Wolves look to bounce back and stay in the race for the conference tournament.
