GORHAM, Maine — First year midfielder Kayla Wilonski (Wallingford, Conn.) scored the lone goal and sophomore Grace Ferguson (Williston, Vt.) posted her third shutout to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) field hockey team to a 1-0 victory over host University of Southern Maine at Hannaford Field in Gorham, Maine.

The Lyons improve to a perfect 5-0 to match their best start since 2015 when they were also 5-0. Wheaton has recorded three shutouts on the season to mark the first time since 2002 that the Lyons have had that many blank sheets in their first five matches to begin the season. The Huskies drop to 1-4 on the year.

Southern Maine owned an 18-15 shot advantage with Wheaton holding a 10-8 margin with shots on frame. Each team was awarded eight penalty corners in the contest.

Ferguson stopped eight shots for the Lyons for her highest save total in a shutout for her career.

Wheaton made the most of a penalty corner late in the third quarter when sophomore midfielder Maggie McDonald (Orange, Conn.) sent the insert pass past the arc to senior forward Delia Knox (Cumberland, Maine). The Maine native sent a cross to Wilonski just inside the circle on the right side, where the rookie wound up with a shot that rocketed past the keeper and into the back of the cage to give the Lyons a 1-0 edge with 69 seconds left in the quarter. The goal was Wilonski's second in as many games.

The Huskies' best chance to score came with less than five minutes to play in the game.  Sophomore forward Norie Tibbetts (Skowhegan, Maine) carried the ball down the right side before sending a centering pass to first year midfielder Leah Thibodeau (Auburn, Maine), who was alone on the left slot, but the newcomer's shot was wide left to keep the shutout intact.

Senior forward Sage Drinkwater (Steep Falls, Maine) led all players in the match with seven shots for Southern Maine, including one on frame. Junior goalie Eleanor Folsom (Winthrop, Maine) matched Ferguson with eight saves of her own for the Huskies.

Wheaton returns to action on Tuesday, September 17 when it hosts Endicott College at 7:00 p.m. on Nordin Field, while Southern Maine heads to Standish, Maine on September 16 to take on nearby Saint Joseph's College at 6:00 p.m.