BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Sophomore forward Camila Leiva (Warwick, R.I.) netted a pair of goals for the second straight game in a 6-1 victory for the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's soccer team over host Bridgewater State University this evening at Mazzaferro Field in Bridgewater, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 2-0-0 on the season, while the Bears fall to 0-2-0.
Wheaton dominated the first half with a 15-2 shot advantage as part of a 26-10 margin for the match, including 13-2 in shots on frame. Bridgewater State was awarded six corner kicks to double the Lyons' total of three.
Leiva is the first Wheaton player to net four goals in the first two matches of the season since at least 2003. Sophomore midfielder Paige Malowski (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) tallied three points with her first collegiate goal and added an assist. Five different Lyons registered markers for Wheaton. Sophomore starting keeper Olivia King (Simsbury, Conn.) did not face a shot on net in the opening half, before yielding to senior Mikaela Reynolds (Longmeadow, Mass.) in the second half that saw her stop one of two shots in the second stanza.
Senior forward Natalie Mattos (Fairhaven, Mass.) scored the lone goal for the Bears. Senior goalie Marcy Clapp (Middleton, Mass.) made six saves for the home squad.
The Lyons scored four times in the opening half. The Blue and White got on the board in the sixth minute of the contest when junior back Alex Dore (Merion Station, Pa.) played the ball back to sophomore midfielder Kate Rafferty (Westerly, R.I.) inside the 18-yard box, before hitting Dore with a return cross. She then sent a short cross leading Leiva to her left, before Leiva unleashed a left-footed strike into the far right corner past the outstretched hands of the Bridgewater State keeper with just 5:56 gone in the contest.
Wheaton doubled its margin in the 24th minute with a successful penalty kick. Malowski was tripped up just inside the box, resulting in the free kick. The second-year transfer ripped a shot into the upper left corner for her first score of the year and a 2-0 Lyon lead.
Wheaton increased its lead less than seven minutes later to take a 3-0 advantage. Sophomore forward Karina Contreras (Pawtucket, R.I.) single-handedly gave the Lyons a three-goal lead when she stepped to intercept a cross at midfield and sprinted through the defense to give her a one-on-one opportunity with the Bears' netminder. Contreras drew the keeper in, before racing past her and zipping a shot into the right corner for her first goal of the year in the 31st minute.
Wheaton added another score prior to the half to increase its cushion to 4-0 with just 5:20 remaining in the half. The Lyons' defense took advantage of a turnover in the Bridgewater State backfield when sophomore back Kaydie O'Neil (Sturbridge, Mass.) knocked down a pass and headed the ball down to the foot of Malowski, who fed the ball right back to O'Neil on the right side for a shot that resulted in her first collegiate goal.
The Bears cracked the scoring column just 86 seconds in the second half. Sophomore forward Lila Wilcox (Bridgewater, Mass.) sent a cross to Mattos in stride on the right side, who fired a shot from 20 yards out that slipped inside the right post for her first goal of the season to cut the deficit to 4-1 in the 47th minute of the contest.
Wheaton tallied the final two markers to put the game away in the final 32 minutes of the contest. The Lyons turned a Bridgewater State throw-in in Wheaton's zone into their fifth score of the night. O'Neil knocked the ball down with her head, and Leiva did the rest. The sophomore took the ball into the box, where she weaved through two defenders and ripped a low shot into the near left post for her team-leading fourth goal of the season in the 59th minute.
The Lyons took advantage of a misplayed ball to cap the scoring in the 83rd minute. The Bears' defense played the ball back to the keeper, who misplayed the ball in front of the net, but managed to race back to the goal line to prevent an own goal, but first year forward Ariana Rosario (South Windsor, Conn.) was in the right place at the right time for Wheaton to send the ball back across the line for her first collegiate goal and a 6-1 Lyons' advantage.
Wheaton returns to action on Wednesday, September 9 when it heads to Bristol, R.I. to take on Roger Williams University at 7:00 p.m., while Bridgewater State hosts University of Massachusetts Boston on September 8 at 7:00 p.m.
