Class of 2008 plays hand in all six goals during Senior Day win over WPI, Lyons clinch at least share of ninth straight regular season title

October 20, 2007

NORTON, MA- The nationally-ranked Wheaton College women's soccer team clinched at least a share of its ninth consecutive New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season title thanks to its fifth straight shutout, a 6-0 victory over visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on Homecoming Saturday in Mirrione Stadium. At 17-0-1 overall and 8-0 in the league, Wheaton has won 14 straight games and is riding unbeaten streaks of 33 in regular season play and 84 against NEWMAC teams. WPI fell to 7-9 and 3-5.

The Lyons, who are ranked seventh nationally and second in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), received two goals each from seniors Katelyn Brack (Lake Oswego, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) and Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) on Senior Day, as well as a pair off the foot of freshman Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover). Rabesa is now one point shy of becoming the seventh Lyon with 100 for a career. Behind its 12th clean sheet of the season, Wheaton ran its shutout streak to 481:39.

Brack started a four-goal run over a 13:18 span by providing her first career game-winner 16:33 into the contest, tallying off touches from senior Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) and freshman Melida Alvarez (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols). Hough found the back of the net 5:58 later off senior Lauren Konopka's (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) assist before Brack followed up at 26:32 by firing home her fourth goal of the season. Davis and freshman Alessia Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) provided helpers.

At the 29:51 mark, Hough tallied her ninth marker off a Konopka assist, making it 4-0 heading into halftime. By intermission, the Lyons had taken all 24 shots in the game and held an 9-0 advantage in corner kicks.

Rabesa scored twice in the second stanza for Wheaton's final goals, pushing her total to six this fall. At 50:39, she finished off senior Ashley Furr's (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) helper. Just 8:47 later, Rabesa converted junior Angelamaria Viscomi's (Newton, MA/Newton North) pass to make it 6-0.

Wheaton finished with advantages of 44-1 in shots and 14-0 in corner kicks. Senior Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) went untested during the first half in earning the win, while classmate Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) played the final 44:46 and did not make a save. For the Engineers, senior Nicole DeCampo (Stoneham, MA/Stoneham) made eight first-half saves, and freshman Abaigeal Caras (Essex, CT/Williams School) stopped three shots during the second stanza.

The Lyons complete their regular season slate at Mount Holyoke College on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
WPI (7-9, 3-5) 0 0 0
Wheaton (17-0-1, 8-0) 4 2 6

1st Half: Katelyn Brack (Melida Alvarez, Erin Davis) 16:33, Emily Hough (Lauren Konopka) 22:31, Brack (Alessia Viscomi, Davis) 26:32, Hough (Konopka) 29:51

2nd Half: WC- Jenna Rabesa (Ashley Furr) 50:39, Rabesa (Angelamaria Viscomi) 59:26

Goalie Saves: WC- Stacey Kronenberg (45:14) 0, Elana Cockburn (44:46) 0; WPI- Nicole DeCampo (45:00) 8, Abaigeal Caras (45:00) 3

Shots: WC- 44; WPI- 1

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