NORTON, Mass. — Senior back Angus Stringer (Medford, Ore.) gave the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team a 1-0 victory over visiting Emerson College with his first goal of the season this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference action at Keefe Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 4-4-6 overall and 2-1-2 in league play, while the Lions fall to 7-5-3 and 0-4-1.
Wheaton dominated possession during the match with a 31-8 shot advantage, although just an 11-5 margin in shots on frame. The Lyons were awarded all 10 corner kicks in the match.
Wheaton scored the only marker of the afternoon in the 68 minute on a corner kick. Sophomore midfielder Joey Everett (Danbury, Conn.) served the ball into the box, where senior midfielder Robert Lloyd (Lexington, Mass.) put his head on it for a shot. The ball rattled around in front of the net, where Stringer came up with it in the left post and put the ball into the back of the net with 22:07 left on the second half clock.
The Lyons put pressure on Emerson for the majority of the match and wasted no time with a quality chance just three minutes into the contest. Everett settled a ball with his chest in the box and fired a shot, but the Lions' first year keeper Beckett Hobbs (Issaquah, Wash.) was able to make the stop with his hands. Senior forward Luke Strange (Portland, Ore.) was there for the rebound, but his shot deflected off the legs of Hobbs to keep it a scoreless match.
Strange had another scoring opportunity for Wheaton just two minutes later when he lifted a shot from the top of the box to the far right post, but his attempt hit the crossbar and came straight down outside of the goal line.
The Lyons looked to break into the scoring column three and a half minutes into the second stanza on another corner kick. Strange served the ball into the box, where senior defender Ryan Bell (Berwyn, Pa.) sent a header ticketed for the net, but Hobbs was able to deny the attempt.
Wheaton looked to add to its lead in the final three minutes to play when first year forward Avery Dinham (Swansea, Mass.) came up with a ball that was served into Emerson's defensive zone and was bumped by the Lions' defense, but managed to stay on his feet. The rookie fired a shot headed for the left post, but Hobbs was able to get a hand on the ball to keep it a one-goal deficit. Everett also looked to score on a breakaway just over 30 seconds later when he carried the ball into open field before engaging Hobbs in the box. The Emerson keeper was able to get just enough of his hand on Everett's shot intended for the right post to hold the Lyons to their lone goal in the match.
Quality scoring chances were few and far between for the Lions, despite four shots, including three on net for junior forward Theodore Bushara (New York, N.Y.).
Sophomore goalie Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) stopped all five shots he faced to record his seventh shutout of the season and eighth of his career for Wheaton, while Hobbs finished with 10 saves for Emerson.
The Lyons return to action on Saturday, October 21 when they host NEWMAC foe Springfield College on Keefe Field for Senior Day at 2:00 p.m., while the Lions host Salve Regina University for a conference contest on the same day at 1:00 p.m.
