NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team played visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute to a scoreless draw this afternoon in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference contest at Keefe Field in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons are now 2-3-6 overall and remain unbeaten in league play at 1-0-2, while the Engineers own a 4-3-6 overall mark and are 2-1-1 in NEWMAC action.

Wheaton has allowed one or fewer goals in 10 of 11 matches this season and has registered three 0-0 ties, while WPI records its third straight scoreless draw and fourth of the year. The mutual shutout extended the Engineers' streak of play without a goal allowed to 573:42 – a span of six-plus games, including six blank sheets for WPI. The visitors last allowed a marker on September 19 at Amherst College.

The teams matched each other in shots with 12 with the Engineers holding a 6-3 margin in shots on goal. The Lyons received seven corner kicks against just two for WPI.

Scoring chances were few and far between for the teams, but the Engineers wasted no time with their first opportunity coming just 23 ticks into the match. Graduate student midfielder Luke Savoie (Mansfield, Mass.) carried the ball into the right side of the box, before firing a shot into the right post. Wheaton sophomore keeper Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) was on his toes right away with a diving stop to his left to keep WPI off the board.

The Lyons' first real scoring opportunity came in the 32nd minute when sophomore midfielder Joey Everett (Danbury, Conn.) unleashed a shot in the center of the box, but it was blocked by Engineer sophomore back Evan Haas (Concord, N.H.). WPI looked to seize on the momentum right away as graduate student forward Francesco Valagussa (Arlington, Mass.) dribbled down the left side of Wheaton's defensive zone to draw the Lyon keeper to the near post, only to have Valagussa take a shot ticketed for the far corner, but it was wide right.

The Engineers' best scoring chance came early in the 69th minute. Savoie received a fortuitous bounce off a throw-in and collected a loose ball in the left slot with an open net in front of him, but O'Gara managed to get in position to deny the shot and keep it a clean sheet.

The Lyons looked to finally break through in the final five minutes when senior forward Alberto Franceschi (Caracas, Venezuela) received a cross in front of the net, but was unable to get all his power behind his shot, which was swallowed up by WPI senior goalie Ryan Martin (Douglas, Mass.) with 4:09 remaining in the match. 

O'Gara finished with six saves to earn his fourth shutout of the year and fifth of his career for Wheaton, while Martin posted his second shutout in 2023 and the fifth of his tenure for the Engineers.

The Lyons return to action tomorrow when they host Roger Williams University on Keefe Field at 2:00 p.m., while WPI hosts Springfield College in NEWMAC play on October 14 at 3;00 p.m.