Blair now third all-time in points with assist in second half

POSTGAME COMMENTS WITH LUKE FINKELSTEIN & TRAVIS BLAIR

NORTON, Mass. – In a matchup of regionally ranked opponents, the Wheaton College men's soccer team turned in a 2-0 non-conference victory over Western New England University on Wednesday evening at Keefe Field.

The Lyons, ranked No. 4 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) New England regional rankings, received goals from senior captain Luke Finkelstein (Peabody, Mass./Peabody) and Kevin Gil (Pawtucket, R.I./Wheeler School). Finkelstein bent in a free kick into the top right corner of the net from about 20-yards out in the 29th minute, while Gil struck home a rebound off of Travis Blair's (Hastings, N.Y./Hastings) initial shot at the 53:33 mark.

Blair, who was credited with an assist on Gil's tally, now moves into sole possession of third place all-time in program history in points with 94 total (39g, 16a). Blair surpassed Eric Reed '02 (35g, 23a) on the list today after posting a seven-point effort last weekend to move past Shaun Cavanaugh '03 (35g, 22a) and Jim Manganello '99 (31g-29a-91p) after entering this season positioned sixth all-time with 86 points.

The No. 10 regionally ranked Golden Bears nearly found the equalizer with a late rally in the first half compiling four corner kicks and three shots (one on goal) with under five minutes to play. Wheaton junior goalkeeper Matt Dickey (Newton, Mass./Northfield Mount Hermon) stopped his only test on net from first-year forward Maurice Young (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) at the 44:17 mark before the visitors had a shot blocked in the box and another scoring attempt sail high right before the end of the stanza.

In the second half, Gil gave the Lyons some cushion room on the scoreboard as he volleyed in a rebound after Blair's point-blank range shot in the box was blocked and redirected towards the center of the net for his team-leading third goal of the season (tied with Blair). Gil almost opened up the scoring for the Blue and White within the first 10 minutes of the contest for the third-straight match earlier in the game as his strike from just outside the 18-yard box bounced towards goal and eventually ricocheted off the right post into the hands of Golden Bears' goalkeeper Kevin Strobel (Rockland, Mass./Rockland).

Dickey registered three saves to earn his second victory of the season in as many starts (2-0-0), while Strobel stopped a career-high nine shots in the loss (2-1-0). Strobel - the reigning Eastern College Athletic Conference (New England) and Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Defensive Player of the Week - saw his personal scoreless streak of 211 minutes and 25 seconds come to an end in the 29th minute on Finkelstein's marker. The hosts held a 26-9 advantage in shots, but Western New England managed an 8-6 differential in corners. 

Wheaton (3-0-0) travels to Keene State College on Saturday, September 6 for a non-conference matchup at 1 p.m. Western New England (2-1-0) takes on Babson in game one of the SUNY Oneonta Mayor's Cup on Friday at 1 p.m. The Lyons are now 7-5-2 in the all-time series versus the Golden Bears which dates back to 2002.

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