WESTON, Mass. -- Junior midfielder Ali Roche (Maynard, Mass.) netted a pair of goals and sophomore forward Mackenna Reynolds (Longmeadow, Mass.) tallied three assists to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team over host Regis College (Mass.), 4-1, this afternoon at Regis Stadium in Weston, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 1-0 following their season opener, while the Pride drop to 1-1.
Wheaton scored four unanswered goals in the final 62 minutes of play and owned a dominant 16-3 shot advantage for the game, while holding a 5-2 margin in corner kicks.
Roche recorded the first multi-goal effort of her career and Reynolds becomes the first Lyon to register three assists in a game since Julia Cipriano '15 assisted on the first three goals of a 7-0 win over Clark University on October 24, 2015 in Norton.
Junior midfielder Julia Sternat (Ellington, Conn.) pulled Wheaton even in the first half with her first marker of the year, before Roche gave the Lyons the lead for good with a pair of goals within a span of 3:29 in the second half.
Sternat blasted a shot from 25 yards out into the lower left corner of the net to even the match for Wheaton in the 29th minute, where it would remain deadlocked heading into halftime. Regis created two corner kick chances early in the second half, but neither one resulted in a significant scoring threat.
The Lyons increased the pressure on the Pride defense, highlighted by Reynolds stealing the ball and finding Roche in front of the net in the 62nd minute for the go-ahead tally. Three-and-a-half minutes later, Reynolds and Roche connected again, this time on a give-and-go as Reynolds returned a pass from Roche, who went to the lower right side of the net for her second goal of the contest in the 66th minute.
Wheaton completed the scoring in the 75th minute as Reynolds notched her third helper, sending a crossing pass from the right side of the field into the box, where first year forward Reilly Hickey (Medford, Mass.) connected on a successful strike for her first collegiate goal.
The Pride attempted to add a goal of their own in the final minutes, but could not put their shots on net.
Regis' only goal of the afternoon came on a penalty kick in the 26th minute of the opening half.
Wheaton held possession in the early part of the contest, but Regis goalie Cassidy Van Cott (Santa Monica, Calif.) kept the ball out of the net with a pair of saves. The Pride were able to put together an offensive threat as junior midfielder Maeve Glavin (Norwood, Mass.) drew a foul within the box to create a penalty kick opportunity. Graduate student midfielder Payton Bridge (Norton, Mass.) converted the free try to give the home team an early 1-0 edge.
Junior keeper Patricia Bandrup (Poway, Calif.) picked up the victory for the Lyons without a save. Van Cott finished with seven saves as Wheaton earned more shots on goal than Regis, 11-1.
The Lyons return to the pitch on Wednesday, September 4 when they host Worcester State University at 4:00 p.m., while the Pride travel to Wenham, Mass. to take on Gordon College on the same day and time.
