NORTON, Mass. -- The Williams College men's soccer team scored twice in the final 17 minutes of play to come away with a 3-1 victory over host Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon on Keefe Field in Norton Mass. on the campus of Wheaton.

The Lyons dip to 2-1 on the season, while the Ephs win their season opener to improve to 1-0.

Williams held a 9-7 shot margin for the match, but owned a 6-1 gap in shots on frame. Each team was awarded a pair of corner kicks. 

First year midfielder Alex Bethencourt (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) netted the first two goals of his career in his collegiate debut to lead the Ephs.

Wheaton evened the count at 1-1 in the 57th minute of the second half following junior midfielder Aidan Doyle's (Kingston, Mass.) third goal of the year. Senior back Ethan Alfano (East Greenwich (R.I.) served a free kick from the sideline on the Lyon side of midfield to the box, where Doyle was able to redirect the cross into the back of the net to knot the game.

Bethencourt gave the Ephs the lead for good with his first collegiate goal coming in the 74th minute of the second half. Sophomore defender Griffin Labonski (Westport, Conn.) blasted a shot that was blocked by a Wheaton defender, but Bethencourt collected the rebound and fired a shot into the right side of the net with 16:04 left to play in the match.

Bethencourt's second marker came on a free kick from 24 yards out that was deposited with his left foot around the Lyon wall and into the left corner of the net for a 3-1 advantage with 9:31 to go in the contest. 

Williams opened the scoring with 6:14 remaining in the first half when sophomore midfielder Kellan Grace (Weston, Mass.) settled a ball out of the air at his feet and unleashed a shot into the far left post from 30 yards out for the Ephs' first tally of the season and a 1-0 edge. 

Senior keeper Ben Diffley (Summerville, S.C.) did not make a stop in the match for Williams, while junior goalie Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) turned away three shots for Wheaton.

The Ephs return to action on Saturday, September 7 when they open the New England Small College Athletic Conference slate at home vs. Tufts University at 1:00 p.m., while the Lyons head to West Hartford, Conn. to take on University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on the same day at 1:00 p.m.