Athletics > Weekly Lyon > October 29, 2007
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Field Hockey (13-5, 6-2) Wins Finale, Picks Up NEWMAC Tournament Victory
The Wheaton College field hockey team tallied a 4-2 victory over New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) counterpart Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in its regular season finale last Tuesday before the third-seeded Lyons defeated number six Clark University, 3-0 in the first round of the NEWMAC Tournament on Saturday. Wheaton tied for second in the final NEWMAC standings thanks to a program-record six conference wins, and the Lyons advanced to the league semifinals for the second straight season and for the seventh time overall. Wheaton will face second-seeded Wellesley College in the semifinals on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Babson College while looking to avenge a 2-0 loss it suffered to the Blue on October 16. The championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will be contested on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Babson.
Senior Ashley Miller (East Bridgewater, MA/East Bridgewater) deposited two second-half goals to lift Wheaton over visiting MIT. Classmate Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) notched the game-tying marker just before halftime, and Miller tallied on a penalty stroke in the 44th minute and added the eventual winner in the 61st minute. Senior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely), who assisted Ryalls' goal, scored Wheaton's final marker. Freshman Cameron Abel (Windham, NH/Salem) did not make a save. Miller had one goal in 60 career games entering the day.
Ryalls scored just 6:01 into the contest to propel Wheaton past Clark, as the Lyons won their sixth consecutive postseason game in Norton. Sophomore Alex Block (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) scored in the 17th minute before freshman Sarah Crowley (Worcester, MA/Bancroft School) buried a 40th-minute penalty stroke for her first collegiate goal. Abel made two saves as the Lyons posted their seventh shutout of the season, the program's most since 1994.
Wheaton's 28 wins over the past two seasons are the most during a two-year span in program history, and the Lyons' 55 goals this fall are just short of the 2006 team's record of 59. Dimick is first at Wheaton in career points (104) and assists (26) and second in goals (39). Ryalls is third in points (71) and goals (27) and fifth in helpers (17). Junior Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) is tied for second in assists (21), is fourth in points (65) and is tied for fourth in goals (22). Dimick's 11 assists match her own single-season program record, her 43 points are the third-highest total in program history, and she's fourth with 16 goals. Dimick is the first Wheaton player to have two 40-point seasons. Ardito's eight assists are fifth in a season, and she's tied for sixth with 26 points. Abel's 13 wins match Maribeth Burke's '87 program rookie record set in 1983, and Abel is tied for second overall in single-season victories.
Men's Soccer (10-6-3, 4-1-1) Drops Regular Season Finale, Enters Postseason as Top Seed
The Wheaton College men's soccer team, which is ranked sixth in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), fell at Clark University, 1-0 on Saturday during its regular season finale but will still hold down the top seed when it hosts the NEWMAC Tournament this weekend. In a 10:30 a.m. semifinal on Saturday, the Lyons will face the winner of a first-round contest between number four Clark and fifth-seeded Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The title game and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will be contested on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Against Clark, the Lyons narrowly came up short in their quest for the program's fourth undefeated NEWMAC campaign in the 10 seasons the conference has existed. The Cougars tallied in the seventh minute, and Wheaton lost for the first time in 14 all-time meetings. Freshman Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School) made a season-high-tying six saves.
Wheaton has a double-digit victory total for the 16th straight season, and for the 17th time in the program's 19-year history. Seven different players have accounted for 10 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 37 goals and 41 assists, 24 goals (65%) and 27 assists (66%) have been recorded by freshmen. Despite the youth, the Lyons have yielded one goal or fewer 13 times in 19 games.
Jim Ferriero Earns Weekly Honors from D3Kicks.com and NEWMAC
Senior back Jim Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) garnered the first D3Kicks.com and NEWMAC weekly accolades of his career for the week ending on Sunday, October 21. In addition to being named NEWMAC Player of the Week, he was one of 11 players from around the nation selected to the D3Kicks.com Team of the Week. Ferriero assisted both goals and anchored Wheaton's backfield during a 2-1 win over Babson College on October 20, helping the Lyons clinch their seventh NEWMAC regular season title in the league's 10-year history. Ferriero's free kicks in the eighth and 15th minutes each led to goals, as he guided a defense that did not yield a marker until the 82nd minute. Entering the game, Ferriero had three career assists through his first 77 contests.
Women's Soccer (19-0-1, 9-0) Clinches Top Seed Before Advancing to League Semifinals
The Wheaton College women's soccer team, which is ranked seventh nationally and second in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), clinched its ninth straight NEWMAC regular season crown with a 9-1 victory at Mount Holyoke College on Tuesday before the top-seeded Lyons defeated number eight Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 5-0 in the NEWMAC Tournament first round on Saturday. Wheaton will host number four Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) next Saturday in a 10:30 a.m. semifinal, and the championship contest will take place in Norton on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Against Mount Holyoke, senior Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) became the seventh 100-point scorer in program history thanks to her first collegiate hat trick. Rabesa did all of her damage during a 17:22 span of the first half, while freshman Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover) played a hand in five straight opening-stanza tallies behind two goals and three assists. Senior Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) contributed a goal and two assists on the afternoon, while freshmen Lauren Caney (West Springfield, MA/West Springfield), Gwen Crafts (Gilford, NH/Gilford) and Alessia Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) each recorded their first collegiate goals. Sophomore Abby Isaac (Larchmont, NY/Proctor Academy) made four saves as Wheaton outshot the hosts, 28-5.
Freshman Melida Alvarez (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) scored twice, and the Lyons outshot visiting WPI, 39-0 and held a 13-0 advantage in corner kicks during the opening round of the NEWMAC Tournament. Alvarez tallied in the 15th and 24th minutes, while Hough, junior Jessica Bramucci (Ludlow, MA/Wilbraham and Monson Academy) and sophomore Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) each scored in the second half. Seniors Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) and Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) split goalkeeping duties.
Wheaton's 20-game undefeated streak matches the second longest in program history, and its 16-game winning streak is tied for fifth. The Blue and White is also riding an unbeaten stretch of 86 games against NEWMAC foes, the longest active conference run in NCAA soccer. Wheaton has outscored opponents, 82-8 with 13 shutouts, as the Lyons are tied for eighth in program history in clean sheets.
Senior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) is fifth at Wheaton in career points (118) and tied for fifth in each goals (42) and assists (34). Rabesa is tied for fifth in assists (34) and is seventh in each points (106) and goals (36). Furr is ninth in assists (29) and 10th in points (67). Senior back Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) is 10th in assists (28). Junior Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) is two points short (61) of the top 10. Kronenberg is first in shutouts (28) and third in victories (54). Alvarez is tied for fifth in single-season goals (20), two short of the program's freshman record. She is tied for sixth with 44 points.
Davis Honored with D3Kicks.com and NEWMAC Weekly Accolades
Davis drew accolades from D3Kicks.com and the NEWMAC for the week ending on Sunday, October 21. She was one of 11 players from around the nation named to the D3Kicks.com Team of the Week and earned her second career NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week honor after helping the Lyons go 3-0 and clinch at least a share of their ninth straight NEWMAC regular season title. Against Babson College on October 16, Davis helped the Lyons blank the Beavers, 1-0, as Wheaton allowed just 11 shots to a team averaging more than two goals. She tallied the game-winning marker during a 3-0 victory over Gordon College on October 18, netting a penalty-kick goal during the 57th minute as the Lyons held the Fighting Scots to four shots. In Wheaton's 6-0 win against Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on October 20, Davis assisted the first and third goals while the Blue and White yielded only one shot.
Women's Tennis (8-5, 3-4) Advances to NEWMAC Tournament Semifinals Before Falling
The Wheaton College women's tennis team upended fourth-seeded Smith College in the first round of the NEWMAC Tournament on Saturday at Wellesley College, as the number five Lyons took a 5-1 decision before falling to the top-seeded Blue, 5-0 later in the afternoon. Wheaton made its first tournament semifinal appearance since the 2004 season.
Wheaton avenged a 5-4 loss at the hands of Smith on October 6 with a victory thanks to featuring its normal lineup for the first time since September 18. The freshman doubles tandems of Sarah Geocaris (Newport Beach, CA/Sage Hill School)/Catherine Teague (Manchester, NH/Central) and Chelsea Cordes (Jamestown, RI/North Kingstown)/Ellen Van Faasen (Manchester, MA/Manchester Essex Regional) put the Lyons in front by one heading into singles. The only three singles matches played to completion ended with Wheaton players on top in straight sets, as Geocaris, sophomore Katherine Knies (Purdys, NY/North Salem) and senior captain Maya Milic-Strkalj (Philadelphia, PA/Friends' Central School) won at two, three and five, respectively.
In their semifinal, the Lyons took on three-time defending league champion Wellesley, which is ranked 16th nationally and sixth in the Northeast by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Geocaris and Teague had Wheaton's strongest doubles showing, falling by an 8-4 score, before a pair of Lyons fell in straight sets during singles play as the Blue clinched the match.
Women's Volleyball (22-12, 4-5) Splits Pair During Final Week of NEWMAC Play
The Wheaton College women's volleyball team split a pair of NEWMAC road matches during the final week of the regular season, defeating Mount Holyoke College, 3-1 (30-22, 30-27, 23-30, 30-27) on Tuesday before narrowly falling at Smith College, 3-2 (25-30, 30-26, 30-19, 21-30, 14-16) on Saturday. A win over the Pioneers would have put Wheaton in fifth place, but the Lyons finished sixth in the NEWMAC standings. The sixth-seeded Blue and White travels to number three Springfield College on Tuesday for a NEWMAC Tournament first-round match at 7:00 p.m.
Freshman Sam Andreacchi (Burlingame, CA/Pinewood School) recorded 17 kills and 23 digs at Mount Holyoke. Classmate Rae Bradley (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) provided 12 kills and 21 digs, while first-year Becca Rose (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) turned in 50 assists and 12 digs. Sophomore Lauren Kraus (Westboro, MA/Westboro) had 14 kills, and freshman Natasha von Sonn (Burbank, CA/Burbank) tallied eight kills and 14 digs. Freshman libero Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) collected 25 digs, while classmate Jill Boucher (Riverside, RI/East Providence) supplied 13 assists in one game's worth of setting.
At Smith, Wheaton was within one point of locking up the fifth seed in the tournament, as the Lyons held a 14-10 edge in game five before falling. Andreacchi recorded 19 kills and 24 digs, while von Sonn turned in 16 kills, 13 digs and seven assists. Kraus accounted for nine kills and six digs, while Rose recorded seven kills, 48 assists and 22 digs. Hunt and Bradley contributed 29 and 20 digs, respectively.
Hunt extended her single-season school record to 720 digs, and Rose is second in Wheaton history with 1,214 assists and 102 aces. The Lyons' offensive output has been evenly distributed, as Kraus (347 kills), Andreacchi (287), von Sonn (282) and Bradley (255) have all topped the 250-kill mark.
Men's and Women's Cross Country Compete at NEWMACs, Female Lyons Place Second
The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams competed at the NEWMAC Championship on Saturday at Smith College, as the women tallied their fifth top-two finish since 2000, including their fourth time as the runner up. The Lyon men came in fifth for the second straight season.
Senior Megan Brousseau (Attleboro, MA/Attleboro) finished second on the women's side for the third straight season in 19:23, while juniors Amanda Rawson (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional) and Lauren Reddy (Walnut Creek, CA/Carondelet) corralled their first all-conference citations after coming in third and ninth, respectively. Rawson completed the course in 19:31, while Reddy came in at 19:55. Ekaterina Gould (Wayland, MA/Wayland) posted a 26th-place showing as the third freshman across, while sophomore Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) was 32nd.
Brousseau's freshman brother Matt Brousseau (Attleboro, MA/Attleboro) narrowly missed an all-conference nod after placing 16th in 27:11, just five seconds behind the last all-league honoree. Classmate Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was 56th, while junior Scott Hafferkamp (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack) and freshman Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) tied for 67th.
Men's (2-0) and Women's (2-0) Swimming Squads Open Seasons with Double-Dual Wins
The Wheaton College men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened their 2007-08 campaigns with two wins apiece on Saturday in a double-dual meet in Norton against Gordon College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The Lyon men downed Gordon, 182-49 and WPI, 141-129, while the women defeated the Fighting Scots, 179-45 and the Engineers, 174-109.
Freshman Dania Piscetta (Belmont, NH/Belmont) won three individual events for the women while joining senior Abby Pratt (Melrose, MA/Melrose) and classmates Stephany Perkins (Monmouth, ME/Monmouth Academy) and Nicole Zais (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) on the victorious 200-yard medley relay team. Pratt won two individual races before anchoring the fastest 400-yard freestyle relay foursome, combining with junior Kelly Grant (South Salem, NJ/John Jay), sophomore Sarah Houlihan (West Springfield, MA/West Springfield) and freshman Hayley Golden (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta).
On the men's side, senior Matt Jordan (Ellsworth, ME/Ellsworth) paced the field in a trio of individual events and swam leadoff for the quickest 200-yard medley relay quartet, joining classmate Matt Hurley (Belfast, ME/Belfast Area) and freshmen Corey Best (Brentwood, TN/Ravenwood) and Zach Fichman-Klein (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro). Freshman Eddie Gillie (Haverhill, MA/Saint John's Prep) topped the 500- and 1,000-yard freestyle fields.
This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 10/29/07.
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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)