CAMBRIDGE, Mass. --- The number 10 ranked Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team shut out the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference match with a 3-0 win on the road at Roberts Field on Saturday afternoon in Cambridge, Mass.
The win sees the Lyons improve to 11-0-3 to stay unbeaten throughout their 2025 campaign, and improve to 4-0 within NEWMAC play. With the loss, the Engineers fall to 3-7-4 overall and 1-3-1 within the NEWMAC.
Wheaton commanded the match the entire way, tallying 10 shots on goal to MIT's one and finishing with five corner kicks. MIT did not record a shot on goal until the 72nd minute.
Right from kickoff, Wheaton hemmed the hosts into their own end. Their opponent was pushed deep into their own territory. Wheaton recorded the first shot on goal as senior midfielder
Joey Everett (Danbury, Conn.) headed a cross towards goal, forcing a save out of the MIT goalkeeper, junior Paolo Mangiafico (Farmington, Conn.). The resulting corner kick would have more desirable results for the Lyons.
After the cross came in, MIT scrambled to clear their lines. Amid the chaos, senior defender
Leao Nelson (Bar Harbor, Maine) came up with the ball. With a horde of defenders closing in, Nelson made the only decision available to him: shoot the ball. He fired a shot through traffic, winning a deflection and forcing Mangiafico to the ground. When the ball came to a stop, it was just past the goal line, giving the visiting Lyons their opening goal. Nelson's first goal of the season came at an excellent time, as his score in the fifteenth minute coincided with an increase in the physicality on the pitch.
Despite the Engineers' increase in physicality, Wheaton went on with their game. They continued to control possession and pinned their opponent back in their own end. The Lyons fired shot after shot - amassing nine in the first half - but failed to slip another one past Mangiafico. Carrying a 1-0 lead into halftime, the Lyons were in command, preventing the Engineers from landing a single shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
The second half resumed with the status quo still in place. Wheaton was overwhelmingly in control of the ball while the Engineers gave it their all to win it back. The pressure was mounting as the Lyons repeatedly penetrated the MIT penalty area. Junior forward
Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.) even managed to strike the crossbar in the 63rd minute, leaving the white alloy trembling above the goal line, but the Lyons were still unable to find their insurance goal.
The Engineers finally made a deep run into Wheaton's half, forcing a save out of senior goalkeeper
Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.), his first and only save required during the match. With the clock ascending towards the 90 minute mark, the Lyons doubled down on their efforts. The 84th minute would be their time to shine as Rhatigan found himself with the ball after sophomore forward
Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.) had his shot repelled by Mangiafico. Rhatigan was able to control the ball, avoid his teammate, and slip his shot past a looming Mangiafico for the Lyons' second goal of the game.
One minute and 24 seconds later, Wheaton had their third. This time Vera completed his scoring chance, starting with the ball at the top of the attacking third. After a brief hesitation to draw his defender closer in, Vera exploded with pace and tore towards the MIT goal. His speed carried him all the way into the MIT penalty area, where he delivered an unstoppable strike into the top-left corner of the goal. In just over a minute, the Lyons had gone from a 1-0 lead to a 3-0 lead.
With just under four minutes to play, the Lyons tightened up their defense and saw out the affair to the final whistle.
The Lyons will have a couple of days off before they return to Keefe Field for a midweek NEWMAC match against Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Wednesday, October 22 at 3:30 pm. The Engineers will also stay in the conference as they host Clark University under the lights on Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
