Wheaton advances to Seven Sisters Tournament final with 6-2 win over Smith

September 16, 2006

SWARTHMORE, PA- The Wheaton College field hockey team advanced to the championship tilt of the Seven Sisters Tournament by winning its second contest of the day, 6-2 over New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Smith College on Saturday at Swarthmore College. The Lyons improved to 6-2, while Smith fell to 1-3 after winning its early game over Vassar College.

Despite completing its morning contest only a couple hours earlier, Wheaton showed plenty of early energy against Smith, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes and holding a 4-2 edge by halftime. Junior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) scored the first of her two goals just 6:19 into the game off classmate Sara Dimick's (Cumberland, ME/Greely) assist, and senior Rachel Sminkey (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) tallied 3:23 later on freshman Alex Block's (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) helper.

Smith freshman Rebecca Capute (Easton, MD/Easton) pulled the Pioneers within 2-1 in the 14th minute, but Ryalls converted another Dimick assist 2:04 later. Capute tallied once more at 20:21, but Wheaton sophomore Lauren Henderson (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) scored at 24:51 off Block's second helper, and the Lyons never again led by fewer than two.

Sminkey assisted on both of Wheaton's second-half tallies, as freshman Hanna Landis (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth) scored her second goal of the year before Dimick knocked in her eighth just five minutes later.

In net, Wheaton senior Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) stopped three shots in nearly 65 minutes of play, and sophomore Jackie Riccio (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) made two saves during her first action of the year. Freshman Margaret Winter (Purchase, NY/Hackley School) turned aside 10 shots for the Pioneers. The Lyons held advantages of 23-7 in shots and 16-1 in penalty corners.

Ryalls continues to dart up the career lists in Wheaton's record book, as her six assists this season are the most by a Lyon since 2001 and are one shy of the program's single-season mark. She is also now tied for second in career assists (13), tied for third in points (53) and tied for sixth in goals (20).

The Lyons finish up play at the Seven Sisters Tournament on Sunday by taking on another NEWMAC counterpart, Wellesley College, in the championship game at 11:30 a.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Wheaton (6-2) 4 2 6
Smith (1-3) 2 0 2

1st Half: WC- Lyndsie Ryalls (Sara Dimick) 6:19, Rachel Sminkey (Alex Block) 9:42; SC- Rebecca Capute (unassisted) 13:08; WC- Ryalls (Dimick) 15:12; SC- Capute (Alex Janos) 20:21; WC- Lauren Henderson (Block) 24:51

2nd Half: WC- Hanna Landis (Sminkey) 39:24, Dimick (Sminkey) 44:57

Goalie Saves: WC- Mary Catherine Boll (64:36) 3, Jackie Riccio (5:24) 2; SC- Margaret Winter 10

Shots: WC- 23; SC- 7

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