NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team was shut out by visitng Babson College, 3-0, this afternoon in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference season opener at Mirrione Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons slip to 2-3-1 overall and 0-1 in league play, while the Beavers improve to 2-2-1 and 1-0.
Babson controlled play for most of the afternoon, boasting a 22-9 shot advantage, while holding a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
Sophomore forward Kate Wickenheisser (Oxford, Conn.) paced the Lyons' offensive effort with three shots.
The Beavers got on the board early in the first half with a goal in the 17th minute to take a 1-0 edge. Senior midfielder Olivia Maltbie (Niskayuna, N.Y.) lifted a perfectly placed ball from 22 yards out that sailed over the Wheaton keeper and into the back of the net.
Babson increased its lead to 2-0 with 12:02 left in the first half. Graduate student forward Morgan Krauss (Belmont, Mass.) won a race to a loose ball at the top of the 18-yard box that drew the Wheaton keeper out. Krauss was able to possess and control the ball, before sending a shot into the vacant right side of the net for her second marker of the year.
The Beavers added an insurance goal in the 66th minute off a corner kick to take a 3-0 advantage. First year Janiya Ocampo (Pawtucket, R.I.) put the ball in play from the corner, where it was boxed around in the box until junior back Laura Lukowicz (Coventry, R.I.) lifted a cross to senior midfielder Cassie Lawson (Davie, Fla.). The midfielder directed a shot into the back of the net with a header on the right side that resulted in her first marker of the season.
Wheaton looked to break into the scoring column in the 87th minute when sophomore defender Mia Wolfgang (Holliston, Mass.) fired a shot into the lower left corner, but the Babson keeper kept the shutout intact with a diving stop.
First year Callahan Cottone (Medway, Mass.) registered her second shutout of the season for Babson with four saves, while Wheaton sophomore goalie Patricia Bandrup (Poway, Calif.) stopped 10 shots for her second double-digit save effort of the year.
The Beavers return to the pitch on September 20 when they host Endicott College at 4:15 p.m., while the Lyons host NEWMAC rival Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday, September 19 at Mirrione Stadium for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff.
