NORTON, MA- The nationally-ranked Wheaton College women's soccer
team captured at least a share of its 11th consecutive New England
Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season
championship following Tuesday afternoon's scoreless
double-overtime draw with visiting Wellesley College at Mirrione
Stadium. The teams will learn their postseason fates
following the rest of tonight's action around the league.
The Lyons, who are ranked 25th in the country and fourth
regionally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA), extended their unbeaten streak to five games while moving
to 15-2-2 overall and 6-1-2 in league play. Ranked eighth in
New England, Wellesley is 8-5-3 and 6-1-2, as the Blue is also
regular season co-champions.
The hosts finished with advantages of 31-3 in shots and 4-1 in
corner kicks but were unable to find the back of the net.
Wheaton sophomore goalie Lindsay Leddy (Warwick, RI/Wheeler
School) turned away one shot in recording her seventh
shutout, while Wellesley senior Katie Martore (Great Falls,
VA/Potomac School) had 11 saves. The Blue also had a
team save late in the second half.
Following a first half in which the Lyons took 14 of the game's
15 shots, junior Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover)
nearly got Wheaton on the board five minutes into the second
stanza, but she pushed her shot just left of the target after
dodging a defender. A lunging header by senior Rosie Levy (Torrance, CA/Chadwick School) in the 57th minute
sailed over the crossbar, and another Levy attempt minutes later
was cleared out of harm's way.
The team defensive stop with 10 minutes to play in regulation
came off a Hough shot directed to the lower left corner of the
net. With less than four minutes to go, Hough dribbled to the
middle of the field and struck the ball deep into the box toward
freshman Cassey Muse (Candia, NH/Central), who was
unable to get a touch as Martore made the save.
In the first overtime, senior Lyndsey McManus
(Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) drilled a free kick from
outside the middle of the box toward the lower left corner, but
Martore was there to corral the ball. With just under two
minutes to go in the first extra session, Hough's shot from 15
yards out glanced off the crossbar on the upper left-hand corner of
the goal frame.
McManus and Hough each had chances in the first two minutes of
the second overtime, but McManus' serve bounced off the crossbar
and Hough's shot was punched out by Martore.
The Lyons complete their regular season on Thursday night at
non-conference opponent Salem State College at 7:00 p.m.
