CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN -- Wabash got an early goal from Jose Escalante and an own-goal from the visiting Wittenberg squad and made those first-half scores stand up in a 2-1 win to wrap up the 2024 home portion of its soccer season.
 
Wabash improved to 10-5-2 overall and 3-2-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference matches with the win. Wittenberg dropped to 3-7-3 for the season and 1-4-2 in conference play.
 
Escalante tallied his team-best eighth goal of the season in the 15^th minute of Tuesday's match at Fischer Field, collecting a rebound off a shot by teammate Bryce Kinnaman. The Little Giants took a 2-0 lead in the 29^th minute when a flurry of activity in front of the goal led to a Wittenberg player inadvertently knocking the ball into the net for an own goal.
 
The visiting Tigers snapped the shutout when Wabash attempted to clear an initial shot out of the front of its net. The ball bounced up, and a defender hit the ball with his hand, drawing a penalty shot for Wittenberg. The Tigers' Kees Ciric fired a shot just past the outstretched arms of diving Wabash goalkeeper Fernando Ramos and into the net for a 2-1 contest in the 80^th minute. The Little Giants' defense prevented any final goals, allowing Wabash to hold on for the one-goal victory.
 
Ramos recorded three saves on 14 Wittenberg shot attempts. Wabash fired 11 shots in the contest with three on goal.
 
The win keeps Wabash in fifth place in the conference standings heading into the final weekend of action. The Little Giants trail DePauw by one point for the final spot in the upcoming conference tournament after the Tigers lost 3-2 to Ohio Wesleyan Tuesday evening. Wabash must win its match at Oberlin on Saturday and hope for a DePauw loss at Wooster to earn a berth in the 2024 tournament.
 
Saturday's match at Oberlin begins at 1 p.m.