NORTON, Mass. – First year forward Karina Contreras (Pawtucket, R.I.) factored in both goals to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over visiting Regis College (Mass.) this afternoon at Mirrione Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 1-0 following their season opener and are unbeaten in each of their last 11 season-opening contests, dating back to 2013 when they fell to Roger Williams on August 30, 2-1. The Pride dip to 0-1-1 on the season.
The teams were even with 13 shots apiece, while Wheaton owned a 7-4 margin in corner kicks.
Senior keeper Patricia Bandrup (Poway, Calif.) turned away nine shots to record her 10th career shutout for the Blue and White.
The contest was scoreless through the first 38 minutes of action, before Contreras notched her first career marker just a tick into the 39th minute of play to give the Lyons a 1-0 edge. Sophomore midfielder Emma-Jane Parsons (Oakland, Maine) came off the bench to lift a cross just inside the right corner of the box, where Contreras fired a shot into the far corner of the net with 6:59 left in the opening half of play.
Wheaton doubled the margin in the second half when senior forward Kate Wickenheisser (Oxford, Conn.) netted her first marker of the year on a feed from Contreras in the 57th minute. Contreras served a cross just ahead of Wickenheisser, who ran onto the ball and was able to lift it over the Regis keeper, who came off her line to meet the ball, but Wickenheisser got there first. The goal was the 17th of her career.
Contreras made a bid for her second tally of the match for the Lyons, when Wickenheisser looked to return the favor in the 67th minute. Wickenheisser served a ball from the right side to the top left corner of the goal-mouth, where Contreras elevated into the air to put her head on the feed, but her shot sailed just over the cross bar.
First year midfielder Leah Snyder (Hope, Maine) looked to put the Pride on the board when she fired a shot ticketed toward the left side of the goal, but Bandrup dove to her right to make the stop in the 58th minute.
Senior goalie Daniela Mazo (Bridgeport, Conn.) finished with eight saves in the match for Regis. Senior midfielder Meadow Comeiro (Woburn, Mass.) led the offense for the visitors with a match-high four shots.
Wheaton returns to action on Wednesday, September 3 when it travels to Worcester, Mass. to take on Worcester State University at 7:00 p.m., while the Pride host Gordon College on the same day at the same time.
