Lyons to host #2 Emory University on Sunday afternoon

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College women's soccer team, ranked No. 16 overall in the National Soccer Coaches Association Of America (NSCAA) Preseason Poll, fell to Roger Williams University in its season opener, 2-1, at Mirrione Stadium on Friday evening.

Hawks' sophomore midfielder Jessica Valenti (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) factored into both goals late in the second half to guide Roger Williams to its first season opening victory since 2007. The Hawks defeated Elizabethtown College, 2-1, on September 1 before going 0-4-1 against Wheaton including four straight losses from 2008-11.

Sophomore Julia Cipriano (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) gave the Lyons an early 1-0 lead sniping a shot from the right corner of the box into the lower left corner of the net at 16:35. Sophomore Julie Beyar (South Hempstead, N.Y./South Side) set up the tally working the ball up the right flank before hitting Cipriano with a through ball near the top of the box.

Wheaton's 1-0 advantage held true until the 69th minute of the contest when Valenti buried a strike into the lower left corner after corralling a loose ball from about 25-yards out. Valenti set up the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute finding sophomore forward Mariah Kaiser (Portsmouth, R.I./Portsmouth) in the box on a cross from the right wing. Kaiser headed home her first goal of the season and seventh overall in her career.

The Hawks outshot Wheaton, 12-9, in the game, while the Lyons held a 4-1 advantage in corners.

Roger Williams senior goalkeeper Stephanie Jaques (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) stopped three shots in net. Wheaton sophomore goalkeeper Ali Hinton (Lafayette, Colo./Alexander Dawson School) made one save, while classmate Taylor Wilson (Bellingham, Mass./Bellingham) turned away two shots.

Wheaton hosts No.2 Emory University on Sunday at 1 p.m. in its next scheduled contest. The Eagles, who return 20 student-athletes from last year's squad, lost to Messiah, 1-0, in the NCAA Tournament national championship game in 2012. Roger Williams hosts Rhode Island College on Tuesday, September 3 at 4 p.m.

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