Wheaton blanks third straight foe, downs Roger Williams by 3-0 count

September 25, 2007

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College men's soccer team scored three times in the first half en route to blanking its third consecutive opponent behind a 3-0 victory over non-conference foe Roger Williams University on Tuesday at Keefe Field. The Lyons, who are tied for fifth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) New England poll, improved to 7-2-2 and snapped the 3-5-1 Hawks' three-game winning streak.

Roger Williams nearly took the lead early on, but sophomore Chris Guerrini's (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury) shot from 25 yards out with less than a minute gone sailed just over the crossbar. Wheaton converted on its first chance during the ninth minute, as freshman Josh Solomon (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro Regional) sent a pass across the top of the box for senior Trevor Cote (Portsmouth, RI/Providence Country Day School), who one-timed a shot into the lower right part of the net.

The Hawks almost knotted the game in the 17th minute, but freshman Daniel Hunter's (Middletown, CT/Kingswood-Oxford) breakaway bid was denied by first-year keeper Chris Smart (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield). At 19:43, the Lyons doubled their lead thanks in part to Cote, who served a ball across the box that the keeper couldn't corral. With the net guarded only by a back, freshman David Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) touched to classmate Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School), who finished.

During the 35th minute, the hosts again upped their advantage. Solomon left a ball at the top of the box for former high school teammate Kyle Sye (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro Regional), who found the lower right portion of the net. Sophomore Adam Sussman (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) nearly made it a 4-0 game in the 36th minute, but his shot toward the upper right corner was denied by freshman keeper Peter Plate (Commack, NY/Saint Anthony's), who extended for the save.

The teams combined for only seven shots in the second half, with Wheaton senior Dan Chong's (Miami, FL/Coral Reef) free kick in the 70th minute that rang off the upper right corner of the frame serving as the closest either squad came to a goal.

Wheaton finished with a 15-9 advantage in shots, while the Hawks held a 6-3 edge in corner kicks. Smart made four saves for his second shutout and sixth win of the season. Cote's marker went down as the second game-winner of his career, and a different player has now sent home the winner in each of the Lyons' seven victories this season. Plate finished with three first-half saves, while freshman Will Sorkin (Davie, FL/Hebron Academy) went untested during the second half.

The Lyons return to action on Saturday with a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest at Springfield College that begins at 1:00 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Roger Williams (3-5-1) 0 0 0
Wheaton (7-2-2) 3 0 3

1st Half: WC- Trevor Cote (Josh Solomon) 8:49, Yuri Moreira (David Ferriero) 19:43, Kyle Sye (Solomon) 34:26

Goalie Saves: WC- Chris Smart 4; RWU- Peter Plate (45:00) 3, Will Sorkin (45:00) 0

Shots: WC- 15; RWU- 9

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