Lyons win seventh straight behind goals from four different players

September 30, 2006

CAMBRIDGE, MA- The nationally-ranked Wheaton College women's soccer team spread around its scoring Saturday afternoon en route to a 5-0 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over host Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at Steinbrenner Stadium.

The Lyons, ranked 13th according to the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, won their seventh straight game to improve to 10-1 on the season and 2-0 in league play. Ranked second in New England, Wheaton has posted six shutouts during its winning streak. The Engineers fell to 6-4 and 1-1.

For the second straight game, junior Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) posted the game-winning goal, this time coming in the 14th minute off a feed from freshman Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield). McManus also assisted Wheaton's second tally just before the break at 42:51, when junior Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) knocked home a shot from 12 yards out for her first goal of the season.

Carrying their two-goal advantage into the second frame, the Lyons quickly doubled their lead with a pair of tallies during a 24-second span. Senior Bridget Furlong (Newburyport, MA/Newburyport) scored off a rebound during a play initiated by junior Katelyn Brack (Lake Oswego, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) at 58:36, while freshman Kathleen Carroll (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz Central) delivered her fifth goal of the season at 59:00. Junior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) earned the assist on the play. Wheaton capped the day's scoring with an own goal in the 66th minute of play, as MIT had trouble clearing the ball out of its own end.

Junior Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) improved to 5-1 with five saves in nearly 65 minutes, while freshman Abby Isaac (Larchmont, NY/Proctor Academy) went untested the rest of the way. For MIT, senior goalkeeper Kat Vater (Middleton, WI/Middleton) recorded seven stops in the loss. Wheaton outshot the hosts, 24-8 with a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.

Rabesa continues to climb the program's offensive charts, as today's goal moved her into a tie for eighth with 24 career tallies.

Wheaton stays on the road Tuesday for a rematch of last year's NEWMAC Tournament championship game at Springfield College at 7:00 p.m. Last year, the Lyons and Pride played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw before Springfield prevailed in penalty kicks.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Wheaton (10-1, 2-0) 2 3 5
MIT (6-4, 1-1) 0 0 0

1st Half: WC- Jenna Rabesa (Lyndsey McManus) 13:23, Erin Davis (McManus) 42:51

2nd Half: WC- Bridget Furlong (Katelyn Brack) 58:36, Kathleen Carroll (Lauren Konopka) 59:00, Own Goal 65:04

Goalie Saves: WC- Stacey Kronenberg (64:55) 5, Abby Isaac (25:05) 0; MIT- Kat Vader 7

Shots: WC- 24; MIT- 8

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