Weekly Lyon

Field Hockey (13-6, 5-2) Falls in NEWMAC Semifinal, Draws ECAC Tournament Berth

The Wheaton College field hockey team saw a quest for its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1983 end on Saturday, as the Lyons fell to Wellesley College, 1-0 in overtime during a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament semifinal at Babson College. Wheaton was selected for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament, as the fourth-seeded Lyons will host number five Saint Joseph's College of Maine in a Wednesday first-round game. Wheaton finished as the runner up in the 2006 ECAC Tournament and seeks its first title.

Against second-seeded Wellesley, the number three Lyons yielded the game's lone marker 3:11 into the extra session. Wheaton advanced to a league semifinal for the second consecutive season and was seeking a berth in a league title contest for the first time since 1997, the last year before the New England Women's 8 Conference (NEW 8) evolved into the NEWMAC. The Lyons recorded the first eight penalty corners of the contest and finished with a 9-6 edge for the game. Freshman Cameron Abel (Windham, NH/Salem) made six saves. Seniors Kim Anson (Washington, CT/Shepaug Valley) and Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) tied the program's career record by each appearing in their 78th game.

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. Senior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely) 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. 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 (12-6-3, 4-1-1) Blanks Two Foes, Wins Seventh NEWMAC Title in 10 Years

The top-seeded Wheaton College men's soccer team, which is ranked eighth in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), blanked a pair of visiting teams in the NEWMAC Tournament to capture its seventh league crown in the league's 10-year history. The Lyons knocked off number four Clark University, 2-0 in a Saturday semifinal before dispatching second-seeded Babson College, 4-0 during Sunday's title game. Wheaton qualified for its eighth NCAA Tournament in 11 years, and its fifth straight, and hosts Bridgewater State College in a Wednesday first-round contest. Should the Lyons advance, they would travel to Middlebury College for a Saturday second-round game.

Against Clark, sophomore Adam Sussman (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) tallied the eventual game-winner in the 36th minute, and freshman Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) tacked on a 56th-minute tally to propel Wheaton into the NEWMAC Tournament title game. First-year keeper Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School) made two saves.

Wheaton matched the largest margin of victory in a NEWMAC Tournament championship game in league history, tying its own four-goal spread from the 2000 championship contest against Babson. Behind a 24-9 shot advantage, four Lyons scored, with freshman Eric Driscoll's (Lexington, MA/Lexington) 24th-minute strike serving as the game-winner. Senior Reed Hollett (Bedford, Nova Scotia/Halifax Grammar School) added a goal and an assist, while Moreira and Sussman each tallied. Davidson made five saves for his third shutout of the season.

Wheaton has a double-digit victory total for the 16th straight season, and for the 17th time in the program's 19-year history. Eight different players have accounted for 12 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 43 goals and 47 assists, 27 goals (63%) and 32 assists (68%) have been recorded by freshmen. Despite the youth, the Lyons have yielded one goal or fewer 15 times in 21 games.

Women's Soccer (21-0-1, 9-0) Corrals Seventh NEWMAC Crown in Last Eight Years

The top-seeded Wheaton College women's soccer team, ranked seventh nationally and second in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), finished the NEWMAC Tournament with three shutouts in as many games by blanking a pair of teams over the weekend to corral its seventh league crown in the last eight seasons, and the Lyons' ninth in 13 years. Wheaton stopped number four Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 2-0 during a Saturday semifinal before blanking third-seeded Babson College, 5-0 in Sunday's final. The Blue and White qualified for its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament and hosts Baptist Bible College on Friday in the first round at 11:00 a.m. Should they advance, the Lyons host a second-round game on Saturday at 1:00 pm.

Against MIT, freshman Melida Alvarez (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) tallied her eighth game-winning goal of the season in the 16th minute, and classmate Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover) supplied a 65th-minute marker. Wheaton held a 25-4 advantage in shots, while senior keepers Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) and Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) combined for three saves. Kronenberg earned the win after posting a shutout first half.

Wheaton came within one goal of matching the largest margin of victory in a championship game during the league's 21-year history with a win over Babson. Hough tallied the winner during the sixth minute, and sophomore Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) later scored twice on first-half free kicks. Alvarez scored off a Hough pass in the 62nd minute before junior Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) found the back of the net in the 88th minute. Cockburn, who earned the win, and Kronenberg split action and did not face a shot, as the Lyons racked up a 28-3 advantage.

Wheaton's 22-game undefeated streak is the second longest in program history, and its 18-game winning streak is two shy of matching the school mark. The Blue and White is riding an unbeaten stretch of 88 games against NEWMAC foes, the longest active conference run in NCAA soccer. Wheaton has outscored opponents, 89-8 with 15 shutouts, tying for fifth in program history in clean sheets.

Senior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) is fifth at Wheaton in career points (118), tied for fifth in goals (42) and is sixth in assists (34). Classmate Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) is fifth in assists (35), tied for sixth in points (107) and is seventh in goals (36). Senior Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) is tied for eighth in assists (30) and is 10th in points (68). Senior back Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) is 10th in assists (28). Kronenberg is first in shutouts (28) and third in victories (55). Alvarez is tied for fourth at Wheaton in single-season goals (22), matching the program's freshman record, and is sixth with 48 points. Hough is just shy of the single-season top 10 in each goals (14), assists (11) and points (39).

Women's Volleyball (22-13, 4-5) Completes Season in First Round of NEWMACs

The sixth-seeded Wheaton College women's volleyball team fell at number three Springfield College, 3-0 (20-30, 25-30, 26-30) during the first round of the NEWMAC Tournament on Tuesday, as the Lyons' most successful season in a decade came to an end. Wheaton tied the 1991 team for the fifth-most victories in program history and finished with the fewest losses since 1997.

Freshman Natasha von Sonn (Burbank, CA/Burbank) had eight kills and 11 digs at Springfield, while sophomore Lauren Kraus (Westboro, MA/Westboro) added six kills. Freshman Becca Rose (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) notched 23 assists and 13 digs, classmate Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) had 19 digs, and freshman Sam Andreacchi (Burlingame, CA/Pinewood School) provided 10 digs.

Hunt extended her single-season school record to 739 digs, and Rose was second in Wheaton history with 1,237 assists and 102 aces. The Lyons' offensive output was evenly distributed, as Kraus (353 kills), Andreacchi (290), von Sonn (290) and freshman Rae Bradley (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) (260) all reached the 260-kill mark.

Men's (2-1) and Women's (3-0) Swimming Split Dual Meet, Host Batterman Relays

The Wheaton College men's and women's swimming and diving teams split a dual meet at Roger Williams University on Friday, as the Lyon women picked up a 173-67 triumph while the men were dealt a 137-98 defeat, before each squad hosted the non-scoring Charlie Batterman Relays on Saturday.

At Roger Williams, sophomore Sarah Houlihan (West Springfield, MA/West Springfield) and freshman Dania Piscetta (Belmont, NH/Belmont) each won a pair of individual events and joined sophomore Iris Meehan (Bar Harbor, ME/Mount Desert Island) and freshman Nicole Zais (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) on the top 400-yard medley relay quartet. Rounding out the event winners were junior Mandy Cumings (Zionsville, IN/Zionsville Community), sophomore Aurelie Marcotte (Hampden, MA/Minnechaug Regional), and freshmen Kathleen Dwyer (Barrington, RI/Barrington) and Stephany Perkins (Monmouth, ME/Monmouth Academy). Dwyer also swam a leg for the winning 400-yard free relay team, siding with seniors Tori Hay (Danville, CA/Monte Vista) and Abby Pratt (Melrose, MA/Melrose) and sophomore Stephanie Conelias (Cheshire, CT/Cheshire).

Senior Matt Jordan (Ellsworth, ME/Ellsworth) played a hand in three of the men's event wins, capturing top honors in two individual races. He also swam leadoff for the meet's fastest 400-yard medley relay squad, teaming up with classmate Matt Hurley (Belfast, ME/Belfast Area) and freshmen Corey Best (Brentwood, TN/Ravenwood) and Ben Sabol (Saint Petersburg, FL/Shorecrest Prep). Freshman Eddie Gillie (Haverhill, MA/Saint John's Prep) won two individual races, while Best and freshman Zach Fichman-Klein (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro) captured one victory apiece.

The Lyon women won three events during the Batterman Relays. Meehan, Piscetta, Pratt and sophomore Emily Sweatt (Portland, ME/Deering) won the 200-yard medley relay, while the 200-yard breaststroke relay field was paced by Perkins, Sweatt, Zais and freshman Alisha Wilson (Cumberland, ME/Greely). Piscetta, Pratt, Zais and senior Meg Miller (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) won the 200-yard freestyle relay. For the men, the 200-yard breast relay team of Gillie, Hurley, Jordan and freshman Jonathan Gold (West Harrison, NY/Fordham Prep) had Wheaton's best showing, placing third.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 11/5/07.
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