NORTON, Mass. — Senior forward Alasdair Ferrier (Concord, N.H.) scored less than three minutes into the match and the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team came away with a 2-0 victory over visiting Salem State University this afternoon at Keefe Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons, who received votes in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll, extend their unbeaten streak to four straight, including four straight shutouts, and improve to 6-3-2 on the season, while the Vikings fall to 4-3-3.
Wheaton controlled play for the majority of the match and owned a 23-7 shooting advantage, although shots on frame were just 7-4 in the home team's favor. The Lyons were awarded eight of the nine corner kicks in the match.
Wheaton has not allowed a goal since September 17, a span of 390:24 since allowing a score at Bowdoin College.
The home team wasted no time breaking into the scoring column, scoring just 2:41 into the contest to take a 1-0 edge. Sophomore midfielder Camajé Easton-Smith (Hamilton, Bermuda) sent a cross from the right side to Ferrier in the box, who unleashed a hard shot that was deflected in front of the net and eventually found the back of the frame for his league-leading eighth goal of the season.
The Lyons doubled their lead with an insurance goal in the 73rd minute of play for a 2-0 margin. First year midfielder Patrick Fannon (Chalfont, Pa.) played the ball into the box for sophomore midfielder Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.). Rhatigan then slipped a centering-cross to his left for sophomore forward Avery Dinham (Coral Springs, Fla.), who fired a shot that the Salem State keeper was able to get a piece of, but the momentum of the shot was enough for the ball to trickle over the goal line inside the right post for his first marker of the season with 17:10 remaining in the match.
The Vikings' best opportunity game in the 70th minute when junior midfielder Jonathan Diaz (Methuen, Mass.) collected a loose ball on the left side of the box and fired a quick shot, but Wheaton junior keeper Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) was there for the stop to keep the visitors off the board.
O'Gara finished with four saves to earn his fourth shutout of the season and 14th of his career for the Lyons, while first year goalie Marcelo Silva (Marlborough, Mass.) stopped five shots for Salem State.
Wheaton returns to action on Tuesday, October 8 when it travels to Beverly, Mass. to take on Endicott College at 7:00 p.m., while the Vikings host Massachusetts Maritime Academy on October 5 for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
