WORCESTER, Mass. – The No. 18 Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season in a 1-0 decision at host Clark University (Mass.) this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Granger Field in Worcester, Mass. The contest was played in rainy conditions with high winds, which played into the home team's favor with the result.
The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll, dip to 5-1-3 overall and 1-1-0 in league play, while the Cougars improve to 2-4-2 and 1-1-1. The win for Clark was its first over Wheaton since a 1-0 victory on October 18, 2008, snapping a 17-game winless streak that included a pair of ties.
The outcome snaps a 12-game unbeaten streak in conference play for Wheaton, which dates back to 2024.
The Lyons dominated possession and owned a 15-3 shot advantage, including 7-1 in shots on goal. Wheaton was awarded all eight corner kicks in the match.
The only goal of the match got an assist from the windy conditions on the field. Clark first year Julian Dubash (Phoenix, Ariz.) served a ball from well before the midfield line that got caught up in the air and sailed into the Lyons' defensive zone. Wheaton's keeper came up off his line to field the ball, but it hit the turf and bounced over his head, before settling into the back of the net for the only score of the day in the 64th minute.
The Lyons' best chance to score in the first half came in the 39th minute when sophomore forward Brent Karpowich (Cranston, R.I.) fired a shot headed for the left corner, but senior keeper Jaime Pedraza (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) dove to his right to stop the shot and keep it a scoreless game.
Wheaton looked to tie the game in the 74th minute when senior midfielder Camajé Easton-Smith (Hamilton, Bermuda) sent a cross into the right slot, where junior forward Charlie Cushing (Eastham, Mass.) uncorked a shot, but Pedraza was there for the denial at the right post. The Lyons last chance to pull even came in the 80th minute. Senior forward Avery Dinham (Coral Springs, Fla.) carried the ball down the left side, before sending a cross to the left post, where Karpowich rushed in for a sliding shot, but again Pedraza was there for the stop to keep the shutout alive.
Dinham attempted four shots on the day for Wheaton, while Karpowich fired three shots, including two on net. Sophomore goalie Patrick Butler (Glastonbury, Conn.) faced just the one shot that took the fortuitous bounce for Clark.
Predraza finished the afternoon with seven saves to post his second collegiate shutout for the Cougars.
The Lyons return to play on Saturday, October 3 when they travel to Boston, Mass. to take on NEWMAC rival Emerson College at 4:00 p.m., while Clark heads to Dudley, Mass. on September 30 for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff with Nichols College.
