Lyons down Beavers, 2-0 to extend longest winning streak in 11 years

October 3, 2006

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College field hockey team snapped an eight-game losing streak against New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) counterpart Babson College with a 2-0 win Tuesday afternoon on Clark Field. The Lyons, now 11-3 overall and 3-0 in the conference, extended their winning streak to five games, their longest since a program-record-tying seven-game run in 1995. The Beavers, last year's NEWMAC regular season champs and an NCAA Tournament qualifier, fell to 5-6 and 1-2.

The Blue and White is off to its first 3-0 league start since 1994 and won its 11th game for the first time since 1995. Wheaton last defeated Babson on October 6, 1998, and had not defeated the Beavers in Norton since October 22, 1996.

Wheaton controlled the opening stanza, holding advantages of 12-2 in shots and 9-2 in penalty corners while scoring the game's lone tallies during the first 11:38. Senior Rachel Sminkey (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) tipped home classmate Shea Clarke's (Bellingham, MA/Bellingham) long hit just 3:03 into the contest for her 12th goal of the season and her second game-winner.

Babson was prevented from clearing the Wheaton half of the field until 10:34 had elapsed in the opening period, and a minute later the Lyons doubled their lead. Sophomore Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) sent a penalty corner pass to junior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely), who dribbled around the defense and found the far side of the net at 11:38 for her 12th goal. Ardito matched Dimick's team lead with her eighth assist.

The Beaver offense came alive in the second half, as the visitors outshot Wheaton, 6-3 and held even at 5-5 in corners. However, Lyon senior keeper Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) saved each of Babson's second-half shots. During two additional sequences, Boll helped keep her team in the lead by making big plays that did not go down as saves. She blocked aside junior Caitlin Quaranto's (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton) long hit into a crowd of people in the center of the circle with less than three minutes remaining, and Boll later intercepted a pass on the wing and kicked it aside with senior Andrea Tufts (Wolfeboro, NH/Brewster Academy) behind her and in position to receive and shoot.

For the game, Wheaton outshot Babson by a 15-8 margin and held a 14-7 advantage in corners. Boll stopped seven shots for her third shutout of the season and ninth of her career, while Babson junior Soraya Gallegos (Houston, TX/Miss Porter's School) made 10 saves.

The Lyons are off until next Tuesday when they hit the road for the first of two straight contests away from home. Wheaton takes on Clark University under the lights at 7:00 p.m.

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

1st Half: WC- Rachel Sminkey (Shea Clarke) 3:03, Sara Dimick (Alisa Ardito) 11:38

Goalie Saves: WC- Mary Catherine Boll 7; BC- Soraya Gallegos 10

Shots: WC- 15; BC- 8

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