SALT LAKE CITY – The Westminster men's soccer team continued its hot start as they picked up a fourth-straight shutout with a 2-0 win over Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Friday afternoon at Dumke Field.
 
With a 4-0-1 start, Westminster is off to its best five game start since also going 4-0-1 at the beginning of the 1993 campaign. The Griffins started 7-0-1 that season en route to the second-best record in school history at 11-4-1.
 
Neither team got on the board in the first half despite the Griffins posting a 10-5 edge in shots. Westminster broke through less than five minutes into the second half when Connor Thompson flicked a pass off his heel to Andrew Clayton in the penalty area. Clayton took two dribbles that sent a shot under the keeper for his second goal of the season.
 
Thompson would add his second assist of the game and third of the season when his cross in the 84th minute found the foot of Emilio Giokas in the penalty area. Giokas fired a shot on his first touch to give the Griffins some insurance and recorded the first goal of his career.
 
Westminster controlled possession for much of the afternoon and they finished the game with a 24-6 edge in shot attempts. They put 10 of those shots on goal while also taking 16 corner kicks.
 
The defense was once again stellar for the Griffins and Sean Lyne was only forced to make one save in earning his second shutout of the season. With the fourth-straight shutout, Westminster extended its school record of minutes without allowing a goal to 459.
 
The Griffins will conclude this season-opening six-game home stand on Monday when they close the Westminster Labor Day Classic with an 11 a.m. MT contest against College of Idaho.