Lyons complete regular season with 3-0 win against Clark

October 27, 2005

NORTON, MA- In its final regular season game, the Wheaton College field hockey team clinched the sixth seed in the upcoming New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament with a 3-0 win over Clark University on Thursday at Clark Field. The Lyons improved to 8-11 overall and 3-5 in the league, while Clark fell to 3-13 and 2-6 and will be the tournament's seventh seed.

Wheaton came out with a dominant performance in the first half, during which the Lyons controlled possession in Clark's end of the field for the first 5:36 of play and fired off the first 15 shots. Despite a couple close chances Wheaton freshman Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) had on the doorstep, as well as the Lyons' 21-2 advantage in shots, the teams went to halftime scoreless. Clark junior Alex Griffin (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Hastings) and sophomore Brooke Osgood (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) each notched defensive saves during the opening frame to keep the Blue and White off the board.

Just 6:29 into the second period, sophomore Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) scored the first of her two goals for the game-winning tally. After a pass from junior Shea Clarke (Bellingham, MA/Bellingham), Ryalls slid the ball under diving junior keeper Kaitlin Kelley (Guilford, CT/Guilford).

Following a pair of Kelley saves with 20 minutes remaining, Ryalls barely missed the cage when her shot went high. Ryalls rebounded by tallying her 10th goal of the season, tying for third in program history, with 8:48 to go off junior Rachel Sminkey's (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) helper. Sminkey netted a goal of her own with 2:58 left by tipping in Ardito's shot from the right post.

The Lyons outshot the Cougars, 18-0 in the second half and held a 39-2 advantage for the game. Wheaton also edged Clark, 25-5 in penalty corners. Junior keeper Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) made one save and notched her fifth shutout of the season, while Kelley kept her team in the game all afternoon with 22 saves.

The Lyons travel to third-seeded Wellesley College for a first round NEWMAC Tournament contest Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Wheaton fell to the Blue, 5-1 during the regular season, and this marks the second straight year the teams will square off in the postseason.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Clark (3-13, 2-6) 0 0 0
Wheaton (8-11, 3-5) 0 3 3

2nd Half: WC- Lyndsie Ryalls (Shea Clarke) 28:31, Ryalls (Rachel Sminkey) 8:48, Sminkey (Alisa Ardito) 2:58

Goalie Saves: WC- Mary Catherine Boll 1; CU- Kaitlin Kelley 22

Shots: WC- 39; CU- 2

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