SOUTH HADLEY, MA- The nationally-ranked Wheaton College women's soccer team opened New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play with its fifth shutout of the season, as the Lyons blanked host Mount Holyoke College, 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Mount Holyoke Soccer Field.

Scoring a goal in each half, Wheaton, which is ranked 13th in the country and second in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), improved to 8-1 overall, while Mount Holyoke slipped to 1-6.

Senior Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) played a part in both goals, assisting freshman Cassey Muse (Candia, NH/Central) on the game-winner before scoring her first marker of the season on a feed from junior Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover).  Wheaton finished with a 26-7 advantage in shots and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.

Sophomore goalie Erin Cawley (West Springfield, MA/West Springfield) was credited with two stops in recording her first collegiate win, while classmate Lindsay Leddy (Warwick, RI/Wheeler School) turned aside one shot in 45 minutes of relief.  There were also three team saves between the squads, including two shots being cleared by Mount Holyoke field players.

At 25:30, Muse collected her fifth game-winner of the fall.  After dribbling past a host defender, McManus took a few steps into the box and slipped a short cross to Muse on the right side, where Muse beat freshman goalie Ingibjorg Magnusdottir (Reykjavik, Iceland/Menntaskolinn vid Hamrahlid).

McManus doubled Wheaton's lead in the 69th minute, netting her goal off Hough's team-best eighth assist of the fall.  Hough started the play with a long lob pass from the left side of the field.  After retrieving the ball off a bounce in the box, McManus fired a shot past Magnusdottir.

Muse and junior Alessia Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) also nearly found the back of the net 2:13 apart in the first half, as Muse's shot clanged off the crossbar and Viscomi's header was stopped by a Mount Holyoke defender.  Sophomore Emily Vincunas (Granville, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) was also denied by a defender in the second half.

Wheaton turns back around tomorrow to host Husson University at 12:00 p.m.