Wheaton men's soccer notches fifth NEWMAC regular season crown

October 29, 2005

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College men's soccer team clinched its fifth New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season title in eight years after a 3-0 win over Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during each team's final league contest Saturday at Keefe Field. The Lyons, who were celebrating Senior Day, improved to 11-4-2 overall and 5-0-1 in the NEWMAC, while MIT fell to 7-8 and 1-5.

Entering the day, Wheaton and Clark University were tied for the NEWMAC lead, but Clark fell in double overtime to Babson College in those teams' NEWMAC finale, opening the door for Wheaton to clinch the championship. The Lyons, who are tied for seventh in New England in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, obliged by improving to 8-1-2 in their last 11 games since a .500 start.

Wheaton broke a scoreless stalemate in the 13th minute, as junior Ariel Tatum's (Cayman Islands, BWI/Holderness School) free kick tipped off diving freshman keeper Thomas Caldwell (East Berlin, PA/Bermudian Springs) before ringing the left post and settling in the net. MIT nearly knotted the game in the 44th minute, but sophomore Joshua Campoverde (Grand Fork, ND/Red River) was stopped on a pair of point-blank chances, first by junior keeper Matt Pachniuk's (Newtown, CT/Newtown) kick save and then by sophomore back Jim Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway).

The Lyons ended MIT's comeback bid with a pair of second-half markers. After Caldwell and freshman Dan Lane (Dedham, MA/Worcester Academy) challenged for a loose ball near the upper left corner of the box, first-year Jeff Shea (Canton, MA/Canton) gained possession and sailed an arcing shot over the defense into the far right corner. Lane tacked on his 12th goal of the season in the 79th minute, breaking Eric Reed's '01 freshman points record of 26. After being backed into the left corner by three defenders, Lane broke free and streaked towards the net before depositing a shot inside the left post.

Pachniuk made five saves in the win, while Caldwell turned aside 10 shots. The Lyons outshot the Engineers, 25-16 while earning a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Receiving a first-round bye in the NEWMAC Tournament, Wheaton will host the semifinals and championship game next weekend, beginning the hunt for its fifth conference title Saturday at 10:30 a.m. against the winner of the United States Coast Guard Academy and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

SCORING 1st 2nd Final
MIT (7-8, 1-5) 0 0 0
Wheaton (11-4-2, 5-0-1) 1 2 3

1st Half: WC- Ariel Tatum (unassisted) 12:47

2nd Half: WC- Jeff Shea (unassisted) 46:48, Dan Lane (unassisted) 79:00

Goalie Saves: WC- Matt Pachniuk (78:30) 5, Craig Varrell (11:30) 0; MIT- Thomas Caldwell 10

Shots: WC- 25; MIT- 16

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