Box Score NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College field hockey program honored its three graduating seniors, Julia Morneau, Olivia Papakyrikos and Kelsey Harris prior to the start of its New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest against WPI on Saturday afternoon. Despite their best efforts the Lyons fell 3-2 to the Engineers in overtime.
The loss drops Wheaton to 8-7 on the season and 1-6 in the NEWMAC. The Engineers, who collected their first conference win of the season, improve to 6-9 overall and 1-6 in league play.
Wheaton took a 1-0 lead at the 24:06 mark after Katie Peters juked her defenders, taking the ball down the heart of the field and fired a shot at the top of the arc into the right side of the goal.
The Engineers countered in the second half, starting with a goal by Hope Shevchuk. Shevchuk found the net after blasting a shot in from the top center of the circle in the 50th minute. Grace Davis handed WPI its first lead of the game five minutes later off a penalty corner.
The Lyons forced overtime after netting an equalizer with a little over five minutes remaining in the contest. The goal came shortly after a penalty corner with the Engineers unable to clear the ball out of the circle. Junior Amelia Gage seized the opportunity, volleying the ball to a wide open Kelsey Buckley who was perched at the left post. The sophomore calmly smacked the ball right past a sprawled out Engineer keeper.
Overtime saw the Lyons get an early shot, but back-to-back WPI penalty corners helped the Engineers seal the victory in dramatic fashion. Following the second penalty corner, the Lyons were cited for an infraction in the shooting circle, allowing for a one-on-one between senior Abby Cervelloni and Wheaton's sophomore goalkeeper Riley Thompson. Cervelloni won the penalty stroke, beating Thompson to her right.
Thompson ended the contest with six saves, while Papakyrikos picked up her first defensive save of the season. Lauren Puishys of WPI earned the victory after making eight saves.
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Bridgewater State for a 7 p.m. contest.
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