NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) was defeated by visiting No. 14 Babson College, 2-0, this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Keefe Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 6-4-4 overall and suffer their first NEWMAC defeat to drop to 1-1-2, while the Beavers, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll, improve to 8-1-6 and remain unbeaten in league play at 3-0-1.
The Babson defense limited Wheaton to just two shots in each half, while holding an 11-4 shot advantage for the match. Both teams were awarded three corner kicks for the match.
Graduate student defender Kento Abe (Quincy, Mass.) and graduate student midfielder James Donaldson (Kirkland, Quebec) netted the goals for the Beavers.
The Lyons began the match with a head of steam and nearly scored less than three minutes into the match. Senior back Ethan Alfano (East Greenwich, R.I.) dropped a throw-in from the right sideline into the goalmouth, where classmate Alasdair Ferrier (Concord, N.H.) looked to control the ball in traffic in front of the net, but was unable to get off a quality shot.
Wheaton's energy was quelled soon after that when Babson tallied its first marker of the contest just 5:25 into the game to take a 1-0 edge. Senior back Lyndon Way (Atlanta, Ga.) sent a free kick to Abe, who received the ball in stride moving to his left just above the box, before uncorking a laser inside the left post for his fifth goal of the year. The marker ended a school-record streak of 575:49 without allowing a score for the Lyons.
Wheaton threatened to knot the game at 1-1 in the 23rd minute when Alfano zipped a cross from the right sideline into the goalmouth, but a Beaver defender was able to bump sophomore midfielder Ben Kane (Pembroke, Mass.) to disrupt his momentum to prevent a certain quality chance for the home team.
The Lyons looked to score again just three minutes later when Alfano served cross into the box with his left foot to Ferrier, who looked to take a shot in stride at close range, but Babson senior keeper Walker White (Coral Gables, Fla.) came off his line to grab the ball before Ferrier could get an attempt off.
The Beavers wasted no time to add an insurance goal, scoring 5:26 into the second stanza to double their lead at 2-0 in the 51st minute of play. Senior midfielder Matias Gutierrez (Coral Gables, Fla.) sent a hard cross into the box that was intercepted by a Wheaton defender, but the force of the ball was such that it came free and Donaldson was able to control it and fire a shot inside the near right post for his third tally of the season.
Junior goalie Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) stopped three shots for the Lyons. White finished the match with a pair of saves to record his sixth blank sheet of the season and 24th of his career for Babson.
The Beavers return to action on Wednesday, October 23 when they host conference rival Springfield College at 3:00 p.m., while Wheaton heads to Boston, Mass. on the same day to take on NEWMAC foe Emerson College at 6:00 p.m.
