Women's soccer extends NEWMAC unbeaten streak to 65 games, Lyons blank visiting Smith, 4-0 in conference opener

September 23, 2006

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's soccer team extended the third-longest conference unbeaten streak in NCAA history to 65 games following Saturday afternoon's 4-0 victory over visiting Smith College in each team's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener at Mirrione Stadium. The Lyons also extended their conference-opener unbeaten stretch to 10 games.

Wheaton, which is ranked 15th nationally and second in the region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), improved to 8-1 overall and has won the last 16 meetings between the teams. Smith dropped its fourth straight contest to fall to 2-5.

Freshman Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) paced the Lyon offense with two goals, junior Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) turned in a goal and an assist, and classmate Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) accounted for two assists. Wheaton used three goalkeepers on the afternoon, with junior Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) picking up the win.

McManus opened the scoring in the 11th minute on a header with her back to the goal, as the Lyons carried the one-goal advantage into the half. Wheaton turned up the offensive pressure in the second stanza with a trio of goals, including scoring twice during a 56-second span. McManus launched her shot on a 25-yard restart into the bottom right corner of the net for a 2-0 Lyon lead at 59:44, and Rabesa pushed her way past a Pioneer defender to make it 3-0 at 60:40. Senior Bridget Furlong (Newburyport, MA/Newburyport) completed the scoring with her second goal of the season coming in the 74th minute.

Cockburn was credited with one stop through the first half, while junior Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) and freshman Abby Isaac (Larchmont, NY/Proctor Academy) combined for one stop in the second stanza. Smith sophomore keeper Lauren Bachtel (Dublin, OH/Coffman) had two stops in the loss. Wheaton outshot the Pioneers, 23-3 with a 5-0 edge in corners.

The Lyons step out of conference play Wednesday with a home game against 20th-ranked Amherst College. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Smith (2-5, 0-1) 0 0 0
Wheaton (8-1, 1-0) 1 3 4

1st Half: WC- Lyndsey McManus (Jenna Rabesa, Jessica Bramucci) 10:11

2nd Half: WC- McManus (unassisted) 59:44, Rabesa (Ashley Furr) 60:40, Bridget Furlong (Furr, Angelamaria Viscomi) 73:38

Goalie Saves: WC- Elana Cockburn (45:00) 1, Stacey Kronenberg (28:38) 0, Abby Isaac (16:22) 1; SC- Lauren Bachtel 2

Shots: WC- 23; SC- 3

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