NEWPORT, R.I. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team came all the way back to defeat host Salve Regina University in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Toppa Field in Newport, R.I. on Saturday afternoon thanks to a game-winning goal from senior striker Ali Roche (Maynard, Mass.).

The win sees the Lyons finish the regular season with a 10-7 overall record, including 6-5 in NEWMAC play. Wheaton's win total is its highest since it posted an 11-7-1 mark in 2018. With the win, Wheaton secures the number five seed in the NEWMAC Championship Tournament and will travel to Babson Park, Mass. to take on fourth-seeded Babson College on Tuesday, November 4 at 1:00 p.m. The loss puts the Seahawks at 4-11-3 overall on the season and 2-7-2 within the NEWMAC.

Roche picked up the most important goal of the day, scoring the game-winner for her ninth goal of the season. Fellow senior Julia Sternat (Ellington, Conn.) scored the equalizer before the close of the first half to set up the comeback victory. Sternat also led the Lyons with two shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper Patricia Bandrup (Poway, Calif.) stood tall between the posts, making 10 saves throughout the 90 minute match. 

Salve Regina started the match with a strong tempo and quick passing. They took full advantage of their hot start, pushing Wheaton back into their own defensive half and poking a shot just wide. First year forward Paige Jessuck (Waterford, Conn.) capitalized for the Seahawks, scoring her first collegiate goal to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

The match settled in as the Lyons adjusted to their opponents' tempo. The match stalled out in the midfield as the two teams vied for field position. The Seahawks called Bandrup back into action in the 18th minute, forcing back-to-back saves out of the senior goalkeeper. Wheaton pushed the Seahawks back to their own end of the pitch, eventually winning a corner kick in the final minutes of play. Sternat stepped up to take the corner, and fired an in-swinging cross to the near post. A chaotic sequence on the near post resulted in the ball crossing the goal line, giving the Lyons' side their much-needed equalizer and Sternat her first goal of the year. 

The match stayed tied well beyond halftime, as each team struggled to maintain possession in the waning sunlight. Bandrup was up to the task several times in the second half, making three saves in quick succession ahead of the 68th minute. Wheaton was unable to record a shot on goal for most of the second half, as the Seahawks had ceded field positioning in favor of more bodies on the back line. Finally, in the 86th minute, the Lyons had their chance. Sternat and Roche used their years playing together to string along the Salve defense. Sternat moved into space, received the ball from Roche, and played a perfect one-touch through ball to the overlapping striker. Roche took the ball in stride, took one touch out in front of her, and fired a left-footed shot into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. The Lyons had their lead, and there was very little time for the Seahawks to find an equalizer.

Wheaton saw out the last six minutes of the match with the ball almost entirely on the Seahawks half of the pitch.