NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Sophomore forward Camila Leiva (Warwick, R.I.) netted both goals to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team over host Smith College, 2-0, this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference action at the Smith College Soccer Field in Northampton, Mass.
The Lyons extend their winning streak to four straight and are unbeaten in seven of their last eight games to improve to 8-3-2 overall and 5-1-1 in league play, while the Bears fall to 0-11-2 and 0-6-1.
Wheaton controlled play for the majority of the match, owning a 17-6 shot advantage, including 11-3 in shots on goal. The Lyons were awarded five of the six corner kicks in the match.
Leiva's multi-goal effort was her fourth of the season for Wheaton. Sophomore keeper Olivia King (Simsbury, Conn.) posted her fifth shutout of the season.
Senior midfielder Una Keller (Davis, Calif.) and junior midfielder Maura Grazioso (Bondville, Vt.) each attempted a pair of shots to pace the Smith offense. First year starting keeper Riley Cioffi-Smith (North Branford, Conn.) stopped two of three shots in the opening half, before yielding to sophomore Blair Pasarkar (Fair Lawn, N.J.), who turned away six of seven shots on frame for the Bears.
Just when it looked like Smith would escape with a 0-0 tie at the intermission, Leiva put the Lyons on the board with just 1:52 remaining in the session. Leiva weaved through a few Bear defenders, before stopping at the top of the box for a shot on the left side that soared over the Smith keeper and into the upper left corner for a 1-0 Wheaton edge.
The Lyons added an insurance goal in the 55th minute to take a 2-0 lead in the second half. Wheaton junior midfielder Emma-Jane Parsons (Oakland, Maine) lifted a cross from just inside the box on the right side to the goal line, where Leiva connected with a one-timer for her league-leading 14th goal of the year. Her season goal total is the most for a Lyon since Cassey Muse '13 netted 15 markers during the 2009 campaign.
Wheaton will be in action again on Wednesday, October 21 when it hosts NEWMAC rival Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Mirrione Stadium at 3:30 p.m., while the Bears travel to Babson Park, Mass. on the same day to take on Babson College for a conference tilt at 3:00 p.m.
