Eleven Lyons net points during season-opening victory

September 1, 2006

NORTON, MA- Junior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) tallied two goals and an assist to lead 11 scorers during the Wheaton College women's soccer team's 7-2 victory against Simmons College during each team's opener on Friday afternoon at Mirrione Stadium. The Lyons are 13th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason national poll and won their 15th consecutive home opener.

The Blue and White took a 3-0 lead by the 20-minute mark, with freshman Kathleen Carroll (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz Central) boosting the Lyons to a 1-0 lead by scoring on her first collegiate shot just 5:55 into play. Konopka and junior Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) assisted before Konopka scored twice in a 3:11 span midway through the half. Simmons cut into Wheaton's lead at 22:35, when senior Justine Veloza (Fall River, MA/Durfee) scored the first of her two goals to make the score 3-1.

Sophomore Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) padded Wheaton's lead at 57:06 by hitting the upper left corner of the net from 25 feet out, with Furr receiving her second helper. The Lyons recorded their final three goals during a 7:01 span later in the second half, as seniors Bridget Furlong (Newburyport, MA/Newburyport) and Courtney Hale (Andover, MA/Andover) and sophomore Bailey Edwards (Austin, TX/Saint Stephen's Episcopal School) provided the offense. Hale's marker was the first of her collegiate career.

Wheaton held a 27-7 edge in shots, and each of the Lyons' three keepers saw action and stopped one shot. Junior Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) played the entire first half during her Wheaton debut, while classmate Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) and freshman Abby Isaac (Larchmont, NY/Proctor Academy) shared time in the second stanza. Freshman Rachel Elliott (Amherst, NH/Souhegan) made three saves for the Sharks, while classmate Katelyn Cassidy (Stonington, CT/Saint Bernard) stopped two shots.

With her two goals and five points, Konopka passed Beth Caromile '05 and moved into sixth place in program history with 80 career points and overtook Jean Conley '86 for sixth in goals with 31.

Wheaton continues a stretch where it plays five of its first six games at home with a Sunday contest against Johnson & Wales University. The Lyons take on the Wildcats, whose head coach is former Wheaton assistant Jay Woodward, at 2:00 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Simmons (0-1) 1 1 2
Wheaton (1-0) 3 4 7

1st Half: WC- Kathleen Carroll (Lauren Konopka, Jenna Rabesa) 5:55, Konopka (Ashley Furr) 16:48, Konopka (Katelyn Brack, Lyndsey McManus) 19:59; SC- Justine Veloza (Andrea Caldwell) 22:35

2nd Half: WC- Angelamaria Viscomi (Furr) 57:06, Courtney Hale (Bailey Edwards) 71:35, Edwards (Bridget Furlong) 73:30, Furlong (Kerry Kiley) 78:36; SC- Veloza (Diana Salvatore) 84:18

Goalie Saves: WC- Elana Cockburn (45:00) 1, Stacey Kronenberg (33:36) 1, Abby Isaac (11:24) 1; SC- Rachel Elliott (77:31) 3, Katelyn Cassidy (12:29) 2

Shots: WC- 27; SC- 7

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