Sminkey, Ryalls establish Wheaton marks during offensive surge

September 2, 2006

WESTON, MA- Senior Rachel Sminkey (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) tied a school record with four goals and eight points, junior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) tallied a program-record three assists, and the Wheaton College field hockey team broke its single-game scoring mark during a 9-0 victory over Regis College on Saturday. The Lyons are off to their first 2-0 start since 2001, while Regis is 0-1.

Sminkey's goal and point totals matched the figures recorded by Maureen Reynolds '88 during a 1987 contest against Mount Holyoke College, as Sminkey's four tallies came on only four shots. Junior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely) scored three goals, marking the first time two Lyons notched hat tricks in the same game, and Ryalls' trio of helpers surpassed the old record of two set on seven occasions. As a team, Wheaton had previously scored eight goals twice, once each in 2002 and 2003.

Senior Shea Clarke (Bellingham, MA/Bellingham) tallied the game-winner 9:59 into the game by converting a penalty stroke before Dimick and Sminkey combined for the next seven goals. Clarke fed Dimick for a goal at 17:10, Sminkey scored off an assist by sophomore Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) at each 14:59 and 14:06, and Dimick finished off her first career three-goal outing by scoring twice in less than 10 minutes late in the first half. Ryalls played a hand in Dimick's final tally, which gave Wheaton a 6-0 halftime lead.

Sminkey notched her first collegiate hat trick by converting a Ryalls pass less than nine minutes into the second half before scoring again off of another Ryalls assist midway through the final period. Late in the half, freshman Alex Block (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) scored unassisted for her first collegiate goal.

The Blue and White held advantages of 28-2 in shots and 11-2 in penalty corners, while senior Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) made two saves for her seventh career shutout. Ryalls' third assist moved her into a tie for eighth in program history with 44 career points, while Clarke's helper pushed her into a tie for second all time at Wheaton with 12 assists.

For Regis, sophomore Kristen Tavares (Acushnet, MA/New Bedford) made 15 saves, while freshman Alycia Corr (Bridgewater, MA/Bridgewater-Raynham) recorded a defensive save.

The Lyons finish off their season-opening, three-game road swing on Thursday against Simmons College under the lights at 7:00 p.m. Wheaton begins its home schedule Saturday versus Endicott College.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Wheaton (2-0) 6 3 9
Regis (0-1) 0 0 0

1st Half: WC- Shea Clarke (penalty stroke) 9:59, Sara Dimick (Clarke) 17:50, Rachel Sminkey (Alisa Ardito) 20:01, Sminkey (Ardito) 20:54, Dimick (Elizabeth Reimers) 22:31, Dimick (Lyndsie Ryalls) 32:01

2nd Half: WC- Sminkey (Ryalls) 43:16, Sminkey (Ryalls) 49:34, Alex Block (unassisted) 63:51

Goalie Saves: WC- Mary Catherine Boll 2; RC- Kristen Tavares 15

Shots: WC- 28; RC- 2

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