BABSON PARK, Mass.— The No. 8 Babson College men's soccer team scored the only goal of the match in the 70th minute to come away with a 1-0 win over visiting Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference action at Hartwell-Rogers Field in Babson Park, Mass.
 
The Lyons drop to 3-4-6 overall and 1-1-2 in the NEWMAC with the loss, while the Beavers, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll, extend their unbeaten streak to six and improve to 9-3-3 and 4-0-0.

Wheaton outshot its host, 9-3, over the opening 45 minutes of a scoreless first half, before the Green and White finished with a 16-13 shot margin for the game. The visitors held a 6-5 edge on corner kicks.

Graduate student Ryan Grund (Princeton Junction, N.J.) put away a header in the 70th minute to tally the game-winning marker for Babson. Sophomore Robin Pestka (Highland Park, N.J.) played his corner kick back to senior Ryan Kim (San Ramon, Calif.) and Grund calmly buried a header from the edge of the six-yard box for his second goal in as many games.

The Lyons looked to crack the scoring column just over the midway point in the first half when senior Alberto Franceschi (Caracas, Venezuela) had a header denied in the 31st minute when the BC keeper came off his line. Less than 60 seconds later, Franceschi fired a strike ticketed for inside the left post, but the Beavers keeper turned it away with a dive to his right. 

Babson came alive early in the second half and forced Wheaton sophomore keeper Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) to come off his line to make a pair of saves. He made a sliding stop in the 58th minute when junior Matias Gutierrez (Coral Gables, Fla.) got free in the box and then stuffed senior Joseph Cardarapoli's (Longmeadow, Mass.) bid to open the scoring after running onto a through ball by classmate Lorenzo Mancini (Franklin, Mass.).

Senior Samuel Kalishman (Clarksville, Md.) also hit the crossbar from 25 yards in the 66th minute before the Beavers' pressure finally paid off with the decisive goal.

Babson junior goalie Walker White (Coral Gables, Fla.) made two late saves and Lyon senior Luke Strange (Portland, Ore.) saw his shot from distance sail wide of the left post in the 89th minute.

Franceschi and Strange each finished with three shots to pace the Wheaton offense.
 
O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) stopped six shots for the Lyons, while White matched his season high with seven saves to record his eighth shutout of the season for the Beavers.
 
Both sides return to action on Wednesday, October 18 with the Lyons hosting NEWMAC rival Emerson College at 4:00 p.m. and  Babson traveling to Springfield, Mass. to take on league foe Springfield College at 5 p.m.