NORTON, Mass. -– Sophomore forward Vinny McGann (Chelmsford, Mass.) netted a goal and assisted on another to lead the No. 7 Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over visiting Union College on a rain-soaked Nordin Field on the campus of Wheaton in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll, improve to 3-0-2 on the season and are unbeaten in 29 of their last 31 games. The Garnet Chargers fall to 4-2-0.
Wheaton held an 11-8 shot advantage, including 8-4 in the second half. The teams were tied with six shots on net apiece, while Union boasted a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
Sophomore goalie Patrick Butler (Glastonbury, Conn.) turned away six shots to register his third blank sheet of the season for the Lyons.
McGann set up Wheaton's first score on a corner kick to give the Blue and White a 1-0 edge in the 22nd minute. McGann served a ball from the left corner flag into the mix in front of the net and senior back Owen Kane (Pembroke, Mass.) connected perfectly with a header into the upper left corner for the first goal of the afternoon and his first of the year.
McGann's insurance marker in the 83rd minute gave the Lyons a 2-0 lead. Junior midfielder Charlie Cushing (Eastham, Mass.) lifted a cross from the right side of the box to McGann, who did not miss the connection and deposited a shot into the right side of the net for his first goal of the season with 7:40 remaining in the contest. McGann made a bid for another goal, but his one-on-one chance with the UC keeper was a drive that clanged off the left post to keep it a two-goal game with less than three minutes to play in the match.
The Garnet Chargers' best chance to score came early in the second half when junior midfielder Eamonn Kelley (Portland, Ore.) dribbled into the goal mouth, before Butler came off his line to meet him and deflect the ball away in the 53rd minute of action.
First year goalie Michael Karcher (Garden City, N.Y.) finished the match with four saves for Union.
Wheaton will be in action again on Wednesday, September 16 when it heads to Beverly, Mass. to take on Endicott College at 7:00 p.m., while the Garnet Chargers travel to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. to play King's College on the same day at the same time.
