Box Score NORTON, Mass. – Junior forward Avery Santoro (North Chatham, Mass.) scored in the 67th minute to give the Wheaton College men's soccer team a 2-1 victory over visiting No. 6 Connecticut College this afternoon on Keefe Field on the campus of Wheaton in Norton, Mass. The Lyons win their fourth straight match to improve to 4-1-0 on the season for their best start since 2014. The Camels, who came into the match ranked sixth in the United Soccer Coaches national poll, fall to 0-1-0 in their first contest of the season.
The win was the first over a ranked team for Wheaton since a 2-1 victory over #24 Springfield College on October 28, 2017 in Norton.
Junior midfielder Jack Brusso (Pawtucket, R.I.) carried the ball up the right side and sent a thru-ball to Santoro, who gathered the ball just inside the top right corner of the 18' box. The Rhode Island native fired a low ground shot into the far left post to give the Lyons the deciding edge at the 66:09 mark of the second half.
Wheaton was held to just three shots, including one on net in a hard-fought opening half, but were given life just seconds into the second stanza following a penalty called on the visitors in the box. First year forward Marlon Monterroso (Providence, R.I.) was pulled down from behind to draw the penalty kick just 21 ticks into the half. The rookie deposited the shot into an open left side of the net to knot the game at 1-1 for his first collegiate goal for the Lyons.
Connecticut College owned a 14-7 shot advantage for the match and doubled Wheaton in each half, 6-3 and 8-4, respectively, but was unable to find the back of the net in the final 71:16 of play.
The Camels opened the scoring in the 19th minute when junior forward Alex Robles (Reston, Va.) lifted a cross, from 35 yards out, into the box, where first year defender Jack Kelesoglu (Westfield, N.J.) put a head on the ball and directed it over the defense and into the net. The marker was the first career tally for Kelesoglu and gave Connecticut College a 1-0 lead with 18:44 gone on the clock.
Senior keeper Diego Medina (Yonkers, N.Y.) turned away three shots to earn the victory for Wheaton, while junior goalie Sam Maidenberg (South Orange, N.J.) was credited with three saves for the Camels.
The Lyons return to action on Saturday, September 18 when they travel to Babson Park, Mass. to take on Babson College in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference opener at 1:00 p.m., while Connecticut College heads to Lewiston, Maine on the same day to play Bates College to open the New England Small College Athletic Conference slate at 1:30 p.m.
