NORTON, Mass. — Junior forward Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.) netted the only goal of the afternoon to give the No. 7 Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team a 1-0 victory over visiting Emerson College this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Keefe Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches national poll, extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games for the longest string without a loss to begin a season in school history. Wheaton is now 9-0-2 overall and 3-0 in league play, while the Lions slip to 3-4-4 and 0-2-1.
The Lyons held their guests to just two shots on frame and owned a 17-7 shot advantage for the afternoon, while holding a 10-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Both teams were held without a marker through the first 50-plus minutes of play, before Wheaton broke through with 39:31 remaining in the contest for a 1-0 lead. Senior midfielder Aidan Doyle (Kingston, Mass.) hurled a throw-in from the left sideline, before it was boxed around and touched back from senior back Leao Nelson (Bar Harbor, Maine) to Rhatigan. The junior was able to put a foot on the ball and deposit it into the back of the frame for his eighth goal of the year to tie for the league lead with Doyle in the 51st minute of play.
Senior goalie Michael O'Gara (Ardmore, Pa.) denied both shots that he faced to register his third blank sheet of the season and the 20th of his career to move into a tie for fourth on the Lyons' career shutout list with Craig Evans '02.
Doyle, Rhatigan and sophomore forward Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.) all put pressure on the Emerson defense with four shots apiece, including multiple tries on net for Wheaton. First year starting keeper Asa Roberts (Guilford, Conn.) turned away six of seven shots in the first 66:41 of play for the Lions, before yielding to classmate Finn MacLeod (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.), who played the final 23:19 with three saves.
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday, October 7 when they host Endicott College for a 3:30 p.m. in the final contest of a four-game homestand, while Emerson travels to Rivier University on October 8 at 4:00 p.m.
