Athletics > Weekly Lyon > October 8, 2007
For Prospective Student-Athletes
Weekly Lyon
Field Hockey (8-4, 2-1) Drops Overtime Affair at Babson in Only Contest of Week
The Wheaton College field hockey team dropped an important New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) game at Babson College, 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday in its lone contest of the week. The Lyons stand fourth in the NEWMAC, holding down the final home playoff spot.
In a contest between the league's co-leaders, Wheaton rallied from a 2-0 deficit before Babson tallied in the 77th minute. Freshman Jessica Strock (Centerville, MA/Barnstable) converted sophomore Cassie Abel's (Windham, NH/Salem) assist less than five minutes after halftime, and senior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely) knotted the game in the 51st minute off sophomore Alex Block's (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) helper. In overtime, freshman keeper Cameron Abel (Windham, NH/Salem) turned aside two shots in the first two minutes before Babson scored the winner. Abel made eight saves.
Dimick is first at Wheaton in career assists (23) and second in points (93) and goals (35), as she is seven points shy of the 20-year-old program standard. Senior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) is third in points (65) and goals (24) and fifth in helpers (17). Junior Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) is tied for third in assists (19), stands fourth in points (59), and is tied for eighth in goals (20). Dimick's eight assists are three shy of her own single-season program record, her 32 points are the fourth-highest total in program history, and she's tied for fourth with 12 goals. Cameron Abel's eight wins are the most by a Wheaton rookie since Marya Payeur '95 had 10 in 1991.
Men's Soccer (8-3-3, 3-0-1) Goes 0-1-1, Knots Coast Guard in NEWMAC Action
The Wheaton College men's soccer team, which is tied for 25th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's (NSCAA) national poll and is ranked third in New England, went 0-1-1 last week, losing by a 1-0 count to visiting Wesleyan University on Tuesday before playing United States Coast Guard Academy to a 1-1 double-overtime tie on Saturday. Wheaton, which is now 10-0-1 in its last 11 league games, sits alone in first place in the NEWMAC standings.
Against Wesleyan, the Lyons yielded a 77th-minute tally for the game's only scoring, snapping Wheaton's nine-game winning streak in regular season contests decided by one goal. The Cardinals' marker stood up thanks to edges of 10-9 in shots and 4-2 in corner kicks. Freshman keeper Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School) stopped five shots.
Freshman David Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) headed home classmate David Winrow's (South Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) 40-yard kick in the 59th minute to knot the game at regionally-ranked Coast Guard, and the teams played to a draw. The Bears, who are tied for 10th in the region, scored their goal in the 13th minute. Davidson again made five saves.
Balance has been a key for Wheaton, as seven different players have accounted for eight game-winning goals. Freshmen have not only contributed immensely on the defensive end, as three keepers have combined to play every second this season, but the first-year class has carried the offensive load, as well. Of Wheaton's 29 goals and 30 assists, 20 goals (69%) and 23 assists (77%) have been recorded by freshmen. In 2006, Lyon freshmen accounted for two of 34 goals (6%) and two of 30 assists (7%).
Cote Draws National and League Honors Following Clutch Performances
Senior Trevor Cote (Portsmouth, RI/Providence Country Day School) drew honors from both D3Kicks.com and the NEWMAC for the week ending on Sunday, September 30 after tallying the game-winning goal in each contest during a 2-0 week. He was one of 11 players from around the nation to be named to the D3Kicks.com Team of the Week, and he earned NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week accolades for the first time. On September 25, Cote sent home the first goal of the game in the ninth minute of a 3-0 victory versus visiting Roger Williams University. At Springfield College on September 29, Cote scored with 9:37 remaining in regulation to cap Wheaton's rally from a 2-0 deficit during a 3-2 win.
Women's Soccer (12-0-1, 4-0) Downs Pair of Conference Foes, Remains Undefeated
The Wheaton College women's soccer team, which is ranked seventh nationally and first in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), downed a pair of NEWMAC foes last week, defeating visiting Springfield College, 2-0 on Tuesday before holding on at Wellesley College, 3-2 on Saturday. The Lyons extended their league unbeaten streak to 80 games and pushed their regular season undefeated run to 28 contests. They are alone in first place in the NEWMAC standings.
In a contest between two of the league's first-place teams, Wheaton downed Springfield thanks to freshman Melida Alvarez's (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) 73rd-minute marker off an assist from senior Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral). Just 50 seconds later, senior Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) converted a penalty kick for an insurance tally. Classmate Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) made one save in the shutout.
Alvarez came up big again at Wellesley with two goals, and freshman Barrie Lindsay (Ipswich, MA/Waring School) notched three assists. Alvarez's 26th-minute tally put the Lyons on top, and senior Katelyn Brack's (Lake Oswego, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) first goal of the season snapped a 1-1 tie with five seconds remaining in the first half to put Wheaton up for good. Alvarez later netted the winner during the 51st minute. Senior Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) made three first-half saves, while Kronenberg stopped one shot during the second half and picked up the win.
Senior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) is fifth at Wheaton in career points (113), classmate Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) is seventh (92), while Furr is two shy of the top 10 (61) and junior Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) is three short (60). Konopka stands sixth in goals (41), while Rabesa is tied for seventh (30). Rabesa is fifth in assists (32), Konopka is tied for sixth (31), and Furr is tied for 10th (25). Kronenberg is first in career shutouts (28) and third in victories (50).
Alvarez Named to D3Kicks.com Team of the Week, Earns NEWMAC Weekly Honor
Alvarez picked up honors from both D3Kicks.com and the NEWMAC for the week ending on Sunday, September 30 thanks to an eight-point showing in two games. Alvarez was one of 11 players from around the nation named to the D3Kicks.com Team of the Week, and she drew NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week accolades. She assisted both goals during Wheaton's 2-1 win at regional rival Amherst College on September 26, as the Lyons trailed before Alvarez notched assists during the 84th and 87th minutes. On September 29, the forward exploded for three goals in a 6:28 span as the Blue and White cruised to a 7-1 triumph over Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In becoming the first Lyon to net a natural hat trick since 2005, Alvarez scored at 1:41, 3:16 and 8:09.
Men's Tennis (0-0) Finishes Fall Season at Stonehill, Poulin Wins Consolation Final
The Wheaton College men's tennis team completed its fall slate by competing at the Stonehill College Invitational over the weekend. Freshman Greg Poulin (Boxboro, MA/Home Schooled) highlighted action by winning the second singles consolation championship on Sunday.
After falling in the first round, Poulin held off a Connecticut College opponent, 9-8 in the consolation semifinals before rolling past a Stonehill player, 8-3 in the final. Sophomore Kyle Hudgins (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) won in the first round of third singles, while freshman Brian Krantz (Milford, CT/Joseph A. Foran) gutted out a three-set victory during fourth singles. Each player subsequently fell in the semifinal round.
Women's Tennis (7-3, 3-3) Falls Twice in NEWMAC Play, Including 5-4 Decision at Smith
The Wheaton College women's tennis team dropped a pair of matches last week against NEWMAC foes, falling at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 7-2 on Tuesday before narrowly coming up short at Smith College, 5-4 on Saturday. The Lyons are tied with the Pioneers for fourth in the league with one regular season conference match remaining, on Saturday versus Babson College.
Against three-time defending NEWMAC Tournament runner-up MIT, the Lyons fell in all three doubles matches and could not recover. Wheaton's third-position tandem of freshmen Chelsea Cordes (Jamestown, RI/North Kingstown) and Bethany Pine (Providence, RI/Wheeler School) came the closest to winning, narrowly dropping a 9-7 decision. Freshman Sarah Geocaris (Newport Beach, CA/Sage Hill School) won in straight sets at second singles, while senior Maya Milic-Strkalj (Philadelphia, PA/Friends' Central School) rallied from a set down to win her fourth singles match.
Geocaris and freshman Catherine Teague (Manchester, NH/Central) combined for Wheaton's only doubles win against Smith, and the Lyons' three singles triumphs left them just short of a victory. Teague yielded just one game in first singles, and Geocaris won in straight sets at two. Milic-Strkalj won her first set by a 7-6 count before blanking her fourth-singles foe in the second set.
Geocaris and Teague Named NEWMAC Doubles Tandem of the Week
Geocaris and Teague were chosen as the NEWMAC Doubles Team of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, September 30. The award was the first of Geocaris' career, while Teague had drawn singles accolades on September 10. Geocaris and Teague notched an 8-1 first-position victory against Mount Holyoke College on September 29 during a 5-4 team victory.
Women's Volleyball (16-8, 2-3) Follows League Loss with 3-1 Showing at Midcoast Classic
The Wheaton College women's volleyball team went 3-2 last week, finishing play with 16 wins this season, quadrupling last fall's entire win total. The Lyons fell to NEWMAC power Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 3-0 (13-30, 23-30, 20-30) on Tuesday before rebounding with a 3-1 showing at the Midcoast Classic over the weekend. On Friday at Bowdoin College, Wheaton downed Keuka College, 3-1 (30-26, 28-30, 30-24, 30-27) and Emmanuel College, 3-0 (30-11, 30-11, 30-18). On Saturday at Bates College, the Blue and White suffered a 3-1 (30-27, 27-30, 29-31, 19-30) loss to Gordon College before defeating the hosts, 3-2 (28-30, 22-30, 30-27, 30-28, 19-17).
Against visiting MIT, freshman Sam Andreacchi (Burlingame, CA/Pinewood School) had eight kills and 11 digs, sophomore Lauren Kraus (Westboro, MA/Westboro) added six kills, while freshman Becca Rose (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) finished with 21 assists and 10 digs. Classmate Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) led the team with 12 digs.
In a match with Keuka, Rose notched the fourth-most single-match assists (59) in program history, primarily while setting Andreacchi, whose kill total (27) tied her for fifth at Wheaton. Kraus notched 16 kills, freshman Natasha von Sonn (Burbank, CA/Burbank) had 14 kills and 17 digs, and Hunt contributed 22 digs. Andreacchi added 12 digs, while Rose finished with seven aces and 16 digs.
Kraus' 14 kills paced the Lyons against Emmanuel, as the Blue and White swept the three-time defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament champion for the second time this season. Andreacchi tallied 10 kills, while freshman Rae Bradley (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) totaled nine kills and 12 digs. Rose dished out 32 assists with four aces, and Hunt had 12 digs.
During Wheaton's lone loss at the Midcoast Classic, to Gordon, Andreacchi had 19 kills and 19 digs, Kraus added 14 kills and four blocks, while Rose notched 49 assists, 15 digs and seven aces. Hunt tallied 26 digs, Bradley had 15, and junior Sarah Oster (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln) added 14.
Wheaton overcame a two-game deficit against Bates in corralling the win, as Rose's 56 assists tied her for fifth in program history. Kraus had 22 kills and six blocks, Bradley notched 15 kills and 21 digs, and Andreacchi had 12 kills and 21 digs. Hunt amassed 27 digs, while von Sonn had 17.
With 80 service aces, Rose is one short of the fourth-best single-season figure in program history. The aces total is a freshman record, and her 857 assists are just 11 shy of placing her seventh in a season at Wheaton. Hunt's 522 digs are good for eighth in program history and are also a freshman record.
Men's and Women's Cross Country Compete at All New England Championship
The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams were among squads from across the NCAA's three divisions to compete at the All New England Championship on Saturday. The Lyon women were 27th, while Wheaton's men finished 43rd. Junior Amanda Rawson (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional) paced the women with a 65th-place finish in a time of 19:35. Classmate Lauren Reddy (Walnut Creek, CA/Carondelet) was next in 20:07, while freshman Ekaterina Gould (Wayland, MA/Wayland) and sophomore Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) recorded times of 20:35 and 20:36, respectively. For the third time in as many races he has run, freshman Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) led the Lyon men, this time with a 29:53 showing.
This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 10/8/07.
Questions about this page? Use our query form.
Women's Soccer: Hough's tally sends Wheaton past Emmanuel, Leddy notches third shutout (more)
Women's Tennis: Geocaris and Teague draw weekly tennis honors from NEWMAC (more)