NORTON, Mass. – The No. 7 Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team scored all four of its goals in the second half, including a pair of markers and an assist from junior forward Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.), in a 4-0 victory over visiting Anna Maria College this afternoon at Keefe Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Division III national poll, run their unbeaten streak to 10, at 8-0-2, to match their longest string since the 2014 edition began the campaign at 9-0-1. The AMCATS fall to 2-6-1 for the season.
Wheaton dominated possession with a 31-4 shot advantage, including 20-1 in the second half that saw the Lyons score all of their goals. Wheaton was awarded all 11 corner kicks in the contest.
Wheaton's four goals all came in a span of 6:51, including a trio of markers in 3:22. The Lyons got on the board in the 54th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Rhatigan fired a shot ticketed for the right corner of the net, but the Anna Maria keeper dove to his left for the stop. Sophomore back Austin Hoadley (South Kent, Conn.) was there to send the rebound into the back of the net for his second score of the season with 36:37 left in the second half.
Wheaton doubled its lead just 33 ticks later on a goal from senior forward Aidan Doyle (Kingston, Mass.). Rhatigan played a ball to his left to senior midfielder Joey Everett (Danbury, Conn.) who carried the ball down the middle of the field, before sending a cross to Doyle on the left side. Doyle fired a difficult shot into the far right post for his team-leading eighth marker of the season with 36:04 remaining in the contest to give the home team a 2-0 lead.
The Lyons tallied their final two goals of the game on penalty kicks, converted by Rhatigan, for a 4-0 lead. Rhatigan's first marker was a line shot into the top right corner of the net in the 57th minute to increase Wheaton's lead to 3-0. Rhatigan's second score on the penalty kick looked nearly identical to his first, giving the Lyons' a four-goal cushion with his seventh score of the year.
The AMCATS' only shot on frame came with 7:43 left in the opening half when first year forward Ariel Garcia (East Hampton, N.Y.) was stopped by Wheaton junior keeper Nick Phinney (Gorham, Maine) for his only save of the game.
Phinney played the opening 79:25, before classmate Ty Nolon (Norwich, Vt.) was untested in the final 10:35 of play for the Lyons.
First year goalie Romain Baert (Tourcoing, France) made 11 saves for Anna Maria.
Wheaton returns to the pitch on Saturday, October 4 when it hosts New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference rival Emerson College at 2:00 p.m., while the AMCATS host Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on the same day at 12:00 p.m.
