Weekly Lyon

Field Hockey (11-5, 5-2) Clinches Home Playoff Game, Dimick Breaks Points Record

The Wheaton College field hockey team went 1-1 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play last week, falling at co-leader Wellesley College, 2-0 on Tuesday before downing visiting Mount Holyoke College, 2-0 on Saturday. Senior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely) broke the program's career points record with a goal against Mount Holyoke.

Prior to 2006, Wheaton had not hosted a league tournament first-round game since 1997, but the Lyons have clinched the right to host a first-round game in the NEWMAC Tournament for the second straight fall. Wheaton sits fourth in the conference standings but could finish as high as tied for second place, which would match its best finish since 1997.

Freshman keeper Cameron Abel (Windham, NH/Salem) finished with nine saves at Wellesley, including five in the first half, but the Blue tallied twice in the final 16:26 of regulation to pull out the victory. Wheaton held a 6-4 edge in penalty corners but was outshot, 16-7. Dimick and sophomore back Andria Laroche (Skowhegan, ME/Skowhegan Area) each made defensive saves in the second stanza.

On Senior Day against Mount Holyoke, Dimick broke the program's career points record, and senior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) had the game-winner. Ryalls scored 2:32 into the contest, and Dimick's 49th-minute tally gave her 101 career points, eclipsing Maureen Reynolds' '88 former standard of 100. Junior Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) assisted the record-breaking tally. Wheaton outshot Mount Holyoke, 24-0 and had a 15-5 corners edge. Abel went untested in net.

Wheaton has recorded consecutive seasons of at least 11 wins for the first time, while the Lyons' 48 goals are the second-highest total in program history. Dimick is first at Wheaton in career points (101) and assists (25) and second in goals (38). Ryalls is third in points (67) and goals (25) and fifth in helpers (17). Ardito is third in assists (20), fourth in points (64) and tied for fourth in goals (22). Dimick's 10 assists are one shy of her own single-season program record, her 40 points are the third-highest total in program history, and she's fourth with 15 goals. Dimick is the first Wheaton player to have two 40-point seasons. Ardito's seven assists are tied for fifth in a season, and she's seventh with 25 points. Abel's 11 wins are the most by a Wheaton rookie since Maribeth Burke '87 set the record with 13 in 1983, and Abel is third overall in single-season victories.

Ardito Draws Initial NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week Citation

Ardito drew the first NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week honor of her career for the week ending on Sunday, October 14, helping the Blue and White go 2-0, including an upset of 12th-ranked Springfield College. During Wheaton's 6-1 win over Clark University on October 9, Ardito sent home the eventual game-winner in the fifth minute of action before scoring the winner in the 12th minute in the Lyons' 2-1 victory against the three-time defending league champion Pride on September 13.

Men's Soccer (10-5-3, 4-0-1) Clinches Seventh NEWMAC Regular Season Title

The Wheaton College men's soccer team, which is tied for eighth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's (NSCAA) New England poll, downed visiting Babson College, 2-1 on Saturday during its only contest of the week, which allowed the Lyons to clinch their seventh NEWMAC regular season title in the league's 10-year history. The Blue and White has one game remaining, at Clark University on Saturday, in its quest to record its fourth unbeaten conference slate. Wheaton will host the NEWMAC Tournament semifinals and final for the third straight fall, and fifth time overall. This will also mark the 14th consecutive year in which the Lyons host at least one postseason contest.

On Senior Day against Babson, ranked fourth regionally, senior back Jim Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) assisted both goals, including classmate Trevor Cote's (Portsmouth, RI/Providence Country Day School) marker in the eighth minute. In the 15th minute, Ferriero sent a free kick to senior Reed Hollett (Bedford, Nova Scotia/Halifax Grammar School), who headed the ball to freshman David Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway), who finished his brother's restart with a header for the eventual game-winner. Babson broke the shutout with 8:06 remaining. Freshman Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School) made four saves in a rematch of the 2006 NEWMAC Tournament title game, also won by Wheaton. The Lyons have taken each of the last five meetings by one goal.

Wheaton has now reached double digits in victories for the 16th straight season, and for the 17th time in the program's 19-year history. Balance has been a key for the Lyons, as seven different players have accounted for 10 game-winning goals. Freshmen have not only contributed immensely on the defensive end, as three keepers have combined to play every second this season, but the first-year class has carried the offensive load, as well. Of Wheaton's 37 goals and 41 assists, 24 goals (65%) and 27 assists (66%) have been recorded by freshmen. Jim Ferriero entered the Babson game with three assists in his first 77 career contests.

Women's Soccer (17-0-1, 8-0) Wins Trio, Locks Up At Least Share of Ninth Straight Title

The Wheaton College women's soccer team, which is ranked seventh nationally and second in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), blanked a trio of visiting teams last week and locked up at least a share of its ninth straight NEWMAC regular season title. The Lyons downed Babson College, 1-0 on Tuesday before defeating Gordon College, 3-0 on Thursday and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 6-0 on Saturday. Wheaton's current 14-game winning streak matches the sixth longest in program history, and its 18-game unbeaten stretch is sixth. The Blue and White is also riding unbeaten stretches of 33 in regular season play and 84 against NEWMAC foes, the longest active conference run in NCAA soccer. Wheaton won at least 17 games for the ninth straight season and will host at least one league tournament game for the 13th straight fall.

Against Babson, sophomore Rosie Levy (Torrance, CA/Chadwick School) converted senior Lauren Konopka's (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) 32nd-minute pass into the only goal of the game. Wheaton finished with edges of 13-11 in shots and 3-1 in corner kicks, while senior keepers Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) and Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) split time and made two saves apiece. Kronenberg earned the win.

Three Lyons scored during a 3:47 span of the second half versus Gordon for the only goals of the game. Senior Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) buried a penalty kick at 56:58, freshman Barrie Lindsay (Ipswich, MA/Waring School) made it 2-0 at 59:01, and Lindsay assisted classmate Melida Alvarez (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) at 60:45. Sophomore Abby Isaac (Larchmont, NY/Proctor Academy) made two saves for her third shutout.

Players from the Class of 2008 played a hand in every goal against WPI on Senior Day. Senior Katelyn Brack (Lake Oswego, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) tallied the eventual winner off helpers from Alvarez and Davis at 16:33 before Konopka assisted freshman Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover) in the 23rd minute. A Davis corner kick in the 27th minute led to another Brack goal, and Konopka again fed Hough for a tally in the 30th minute. Senior Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) added a pair of second-half markers. Kronenberg earned the win with a shutout first half, and Cockburn played the second half. Neither keeper needed to make a save.

Wheaton has outscored opponents this fall, 68-7 with 12 shutouts, marking the ninth consecutive season in which the Lyons have recorded double-digit shutouts. The 12 are good for ninth in program history, and the Blue and White currently has a 481:39 shutout streak going behind five straight clean sheets, tying for the sixth-longest string of shutouts in program history. With another 1-0 win last week, Wheaton has won 10 straight games decided by a 1-0 final score.

Konopka is fifth at Wheaton in career points (118) and assists (34) and tied for fifth in goals (42). Rabesa stands sixth in assists (33) and is seventh in each points (99) and goals (33). Senior Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) is tied for eighth in assists (27) and tied for 10th in points (63). Davis is 10th in assists (26). Junior Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) is two points short (61) of the top 10. Kronenberg is first in shutouts (28) and third in victories (54). Alvarez is sixth in single-season goals (18), four short of the freshman record. With 40 points, she is tied for eighth.

Women's Tennis (7-4, 3-4) Sends Six to NEWITTs, Teague Advances to Quarterfinals

The Wheaton College women's tennis team sent six players to the New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament (NEWITT) over the weekend, as freshman Catherine Teague (Manchester, NH/Central) won twice and advanced into the quarterfinal round. The tournament was the Lyons' final tune-up for the NEWMAC Tournament, as the fifth-seeded Blue and White will face number four Smith College in the first round on Saturday at Babson College at 9:30 a.m.

During the NEWITT at Amherst College, Teague won 6-2, 6-1 in the first round at top singles on Friday before notching a 7-6, 6-2 triumph in Saturday's second round. She fell to the first flight's second seed in the quarterfinals. Senior captain Maya Milic-Strkalj (Philadelphia, PA/Friends' Central School) earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the first round of fifth singles before dropping a second-round match, and she teamed with freshman Ellen Van Faasen (Manchester, MA/Manchester Essex Regional) in the second doubles flight for an 8-5 first-round win before the tandem came up short in its second match.

Women's Volleyball (21-11, 3-4) Wins NEWMAC Match, Splits Four at Tournament

The Wheaton College women's volleyball team downed visiting Babson College, 3-1 (30-32, 30-17, 30-21, 31-29) in a NEWMAC match on Tuesday before splitting four matches over the weekend at the Hall of Fame Tournament to finish 11th among 16 teams. On Friday at Amherst College, the Lyons fell to the regionally-ranked Lord Jeffs, 3-0 (20-30, 16-30, 25-30) but defeated Colby College, 3-1 (30-26, 32-30, 21-30, 30-26). During Saturday's competition at Mount Holyoke College, Wheaton first dropped a 3-0 (16-30, 22-30, 16-30) decision against Gordon College before rebounding with a 3-0 (32-30, 30-22, 30-25) sweep over Bridgewater State College. Heading into its final week of regular season play, the Lyons are sixth in the league and have two matches remaining. Wheaton reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 1998, and its 21 wins comprise the program's highest total since 1997.

Sophomore Lauren Kraus' (Westboro, MA/Westboro) line of 17 kills, six blocks and four service aces led Wheaton past Babson. Freshman Natasha von Sonn (Burbank, CA/Burbank) notched 13 kills, 22 digs and three blocks, while classmate Sam Andreacchi (Burlingame, CA/Pinewood) totaled nine kills and 13 digs in only two games. Freshman setter Becca Rose (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) had 47 assists and 15 digs, classmates Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) and Rae Bradley (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) contributed 22 and 18 digs, respectively, while junior Sarah Oster (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln) added 17.

At Amherst, which is ranked third by the New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA), Andreacchi recorded six kills and 13 digs, while von Sonn had six kills and eight digs. Kraus added six kills, Rose provided 22 assists and seven digs, and Hunt notched 20 digs. The Lyons downed Colby as von Sonn had 16 kills and 11 digs, while Kraus tallied 15 kills, six digs, five blocks and four aces. Andreacchi netted 13 kills and 17 digs, and Bradley totaled 10 kills and nine digs. Rose added 51 assists and seven digs. Hunt notched 29 digs.

Andreacchi collected 10 kills and seven digs against Gordon, while Kraus and von Sonn each had seven kills. Von Sonn also notched 12 digs, Hunt added nine, and Rose tallied 27 assists and seven digs. Bradley turned in a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs against Bridgewater State, and Andreacchi added nine kills and seven digs. Kraus tallied eight kills and four blocks, while von Sonn contributed seven kills. Rose had 30 assists and three service aces, and Hunt put together a 10-dig match.

Hunt now holds the program record with 666 digs this season, eclipsing a mark set in 1997. Rose is second in single-season Wheaton history with a freshman-record 97 aces, and her freshman-record 1,116 assists are 33 shy of tying for second. The Lyons' offensive output has been evenly distributed, as Kraus (324 kills), von Sonn (258), Andreacchi (251) and Bradley (236) have all topped the 235-kill mark.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 10/22/07.
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News

Women's Soccer: Hough's tally sends Wheaton past Emmanuel, Leddy notches third shutout (more)

Women's Tennis: Geocaris and Teague draw weekly tennis honors from NEWMAC (more)