NORTON, Mass. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) field hockey team was edged, 3-2, by visiting Western New England University, despite a career-high 15 saves from Lyons' junior goalie Emma Lapreziosa (Bowdoinham, Maine) this evening on Nordin Field in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons fall to 0-3 on the season, while the Golden Bears improve to 2-0.

Western New England controlled possession for most of the night, taking full advantage of a 21-8 penalty corner advantage, which contributed to a definitive 31-8 shot advantage. Despite the shot disparity, Wheaton was able to knot the contest twice at 1-1 and 2-2. All three of the visitors' goals came on set pieces off of penalty corners. Lapreziosa's effort kept the home team in the game throughout the night.

Senior defender Abby Burns (Hooksett, N.H.) took the cross off the insert of a penalty corner, made a short cross to graduate student forward Taylor Klesyk (Hamden, Conn.) at the top of the circle, who found Johnston camped in front of the net for a re-directed shot to the inside of the left post for the eventual game-winner. The marker was her first of the season and gave the Golden Bears a 3-2 lead. 

Sophomore midfielder Delia Knox (Cumberland, Maine) scored an equalizing goal just 25 seconds into the fourth quarter after collecting the rebound in front of the cage off a shot from the right slot from senior forward Sophie Shekarchi (Jamestown, R.I). The score was the first collegiate goal for Knox and knotted the score at 2-2 for the Lyons.

Senior forward Emily Campbell (Goffstown, N.H.) cleaned up the rebound of a shot off the stick of Klesyk and found the back of the cage on the right side to put Western New England on the board just 20 seconds into the quarter for a 1-0 edge. The goal came on a penalty corner to begin a trend for the Golden Bears.

Wheaton's defense tightened up and held its guests without a score for the next 37:03, while the offense scored midway through the second quarter to knot the game at 1-1. Junior midfielder Mackenzie Yates (Brownsville, Vt.) fired a shot into the mix in front of the cage that was deflected off a stick to the left side of the cage, where senior defender Bridget Healy (Holyoke, Mass.) gathered the ball and zipped a shot inside the left post to tie the game for the Lyons with 6:48 gone in the second quarter. 

Western New England broke their scoring drought when they reclaimed the lead at 2-1 after scoring midway through the third period. Campbell fired a shot on net off a corner and junior forward Carly-Anna Barba (Madison, Conn.) was there for the rebound and the score with 7:17 to go in the quarter.

Sophomore goalie Zoey Wexler (Manchester, Conn.) turned back three shots for the Golden Bears to earn the victory.

The Lyons return to action on Saturday, September 10 when they travel to Dudley, Mass. to take on Nichols College at 1:00 p.m., while Western New England heads to Cambridge, Mass. on the same day to play Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 1:15 p.m.