Sye's first collegiate marker sends Wheaton past Brandeis in overtime

September 19, 2007

WALTHAM, MA- Freshman Kyle Sye's (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro Regional) first collegiate goal came 3:42 into overtime on Wednesday evening as the regionally-ranked Wheaton College men's soccer team downed Brandeis University, 1-0 on Gordon Field. The Lyons, who are ranked sixth in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), improved to 5-2-2 while dropping the Judges to a 2-2-2 record.

Freshman Chris Smart (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield) earned his first collegiate shutout behind four saves as the Lyons won their eighth consecutive regular season game that was decided by one goal. Wheaton is 4-0 in one-goal games this season and has now played three overtime affairs. In its last 12 meetings with the Judges, the Blue and White has gone 11-0-1 since a loss to end the 1996 season. This was the sixth game during that run decided by one goal.

In the teams' first battle in Waltham since 2003, Smart kept the game scoreless during the second stanza by turning away junior Ben Premo (Florence, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) in each the 53rd and 55th minutes. Wheaton senior Dan Chong (Miami, FL/Coral Reef) was stymied by sophomore keeper Taylor Bracken (North Andover, MA/Saint John's Prep) during the 72nd minute, and the teams headed to overtime in a stalemate.

Less than four minutes into the extra session, freshman Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) fed Sye, who sent his winner past a diving Bracken.

After the Judges held a narrow 7-6 edge in shots during the opening half, each team fired off four second-half shots. Sye's marker came on the only shot of overtime for either side. The 22 shots in the game were evenly split between each squad, while Brandeis ended up with a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. Bracken stopped four shots for the Judges.

The Lyons host a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest against Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd OT Final
Wheaton (5-2-2) 0 0 1 1
Brandeis (2-2-2) 0 0 0 0

OT: WC- Kyle Sye (Yuri Moreira) 93:42

Goalie Saves: WC- Chris Smart 4; BU- Taylor Bracken 4

Shots: WC- 11; BU- 11

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