BABSON PARK, MA- The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team had its hands full with nationally-ranked Babson College on Saturday afternoon, as the Lyons fell to the host Beavers, 18-4 in each team's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season finale at MacDowell Field.

Wheaton, which fell to 6-9 overall and 2-4 in league play, secured the fifth seed in next week's NEWMAC Tournament, which begins on Wednesday.  The Lyons will travel to fourth-seeded Wellesley College for a 4:30 p.m. start.  The Beavers, who earned the top seed and a first-round bye, will host next weekend's semifinal and final rounds.  Babson is 12-2 and 6-0.

Taking on a team that extended its winning streak to 10 games and was ranked 13th nationally according to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), Wheaton trailed the hosts 6-0 by the 20:21 mark of the opening half.  Junior Chrissy Norberg (Winchester, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) made the score 6-1 before the Beavers went on their second 6-0 run to grab a commanding 12-1 advantage at 4:39.

Senior Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) scored as the scoreboard horn sounded, cutting the Lyon deficit to 10 heading into the intermission, but Babson began the second half with its third 6-0 stretch for an 18-2 lead 16:55 into the stanza.  Neither team scored for over 12 minutes before Wheaton tacked on a pair of goals in the final 54 seconds, including another buzzer beater by Williams.

Williams paced the Lyons with two goals, senior Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) scored another Wheaton tally, while sophomore goalie Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy) finished with eight stops.

Babson junior Anna Collins (Winchester, MA/Winchester) totaled five goals and two assists, classmate Kaitlyn Pettengill (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton) also had five goals, and sophomore Sarah Macary (Woodbury, CT/The Gunnery) stopped four shots in 46:55.