NORTON, Mass. – First year forward Kate Wickenheisser (Oxford, Conn.) netted the first two goals of her collegiate career and added an assist to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team to a 4-1 victory over visiting Worcester State University this afternoon at Mirrione Stadium on the campus of Wheaton in Norton, Mass. The Lyons improve to 1-0, while the Lancers fall to 0-1 in the season opener for both teams. Wheaton is now undefeated in each of its last eight season openers, going 7-0-1.

The Lyons scored the first three goals of the day, before Worcester State got on the board 15 minutes into the second half. 

Wickenheisser becomes the first Wheaton player to net multiple goals in her collegiate debut since Cassey Muse scored twice against Roger Williams University to begin her career on September 1, 2009.

Wickenheisser's first tally came in the 30th minute to give the home team a 2-0 margin. Her second marker capped the evening's scoring when the Lyons defense flipped the field and Wickenheiser found the back of the net from inside the 18-box with 33:33 left to play in the contest to give the home team a 4-1 lead.

Wickenheisser found senior forward Sadie Recht (Los Angeles, Calif.) with the game's first score coming with 17:56 to play in the opening half to give Wheaton a 1-0 edge. First year midfielder Amanda Castaldi (Wallingford, Conn.) also notched her first collegiate marker later in the half to give the Lyons three unanswered goals in the first 32 minutes of play.

Senior midfielder Haley Samara (Worcester, Mass.) put the visitors on the board in the second half to cut the deficit to 3-1 with 60:56 gone in the match. Samara directed a feed from first year midfielder Erin Condon (East Bridgewater, Mass.) for the lone Lancer goal.

Junior keeper Gabby Marcus (Austin, Texas) earned the victory for Wheaton, stopping all seven shots she faced in the opening half, before classmate Felicia Fauteux (Granby, Conn.) turned away five of six shots in the second stanza to preserve the win. First year keeper Mallory Dupuis (Leominster, Mass.) made five saves in her first collegiate start for Worcester State.

The Lyons return to play on Sunday, September 4 when they travel to Geneseo, N.Y. to take on State University of New York Geneseo for a noon start, while the Lancers head to nearby Clark University for an 11:00 a.m. match on September 3.