Athletics > Weekly Lyon > 2003--04 > November 17, 2003
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Men's Soccer (18-3-1, 5-1-0) Advances to Second NCAA Division III National Quarterfinal Round Game in Last Three Seasons, Set to Host Conference Rival MIT
The Wheaton College men's soccer team captured its second regional championship in three seasons, as the Lyons posted a perfect 3-0 record in NCAA Division III Tournament action this week. Wheaton knocked off City College of New York (CCNY), 6-1 in the first round on Wednesday and then traveled to St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York to edge Bowdoin College, 9-8 in penalty kicks following 110 minutes of scoreless play on Saturday and eliminate host St. Lawrence, 3-2 on Sunday. Returning to the national quarterfinal round this weekend, the Lyons will host New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) rival MIT on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Ranked third in the region and 20th in the country according to the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA), Wheaton extended its unbeaten streak to 13 consecutive games.
Against CCNY, the Beavers posted their lone goal in the 10th minute of play. CCNY held its lead until the midway point of the stanza, as the host Lyons exploded for four goals over a 16-minute span and never looked back. Senior Matt Mancini (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) knotted the score on a rebound at 22:26 and junior Barry Finnerty (Milton, MA/Beaver Country Day) gave the Lyons the lead for good on a successful penalty kick in the 31st minute. Just five minutes later, Mancini extended the Wheaton lead to 3-1 with his second goal of the contest. Freshman Cameron Habib (Norfolk, MA/Bridgton Academy) rounded out Wheaton's first-half scoring with an unassisted goal in the 39th minute. In the second half, seniors Andrew Hench (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) and George Thomas (Canton, MA/Canton) tallied back-to-back goals in the opening five minutes to finish the game's scoring. Junior Matt Ristuccia (Newton, MA/Newton North) assisted on both goals, as Wheaton completed the game with a 25-4 advantage in shots and 5-0 edge in corner kick attempts. Freshman goalkeeper Matt Pachniuk (Newtown, CT/Newtown) only saw the one shot in 65 minutes.
In an epic contest against Bowdoin on Saturday, one that featured 110 minutes of scoreless play and 13 rounds of penalty kicks, Wheaton edged Bowdoin, 9-8 in a shootout. The two squads played even through the first ten minutes, but the Lyons garnered the first good chance as Finnerty played a corner to sophomore James Greenslit (Framingham, MA/Rivers School) in the box. Greenslit headed the ball wide of the post as the game remained scoreless. Wheaton had a great opportunity in the 17th minute, but a spectacular save on the goal line kept the game tied. In the 20th minute, Ristuccia found himself wide open on the doorstep, but the ball went off the side of his foot.
Just five minutes into the second half, Bowdoin had a pair of great chances within moments, first rifling a shot and then tracking down a loose ball in the box. Both shots were saved by Pachniuk. Twenty minutes into the second half, a loose ball in the Bowdoin defensive zone was lofted towards the net by Thomas. Bowdoin headed the ball on the end line over the net, saving a goal. Wheaton got off another good shot on the ensuing corner kick, but the Polar Bears made another solid save to keep the game scoreless. Following two overtime sessions, the Lyons took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-five round, but Bowdoin stopped the final two Wheaton tries and converted three penalty kicks to deadlock the score at 3-3. The two teams traded makes and misses until the 13th round, when Hench buried a shot inside the right post and Bowdoin's try sailed just wide of the post. Pachniuk stopped three shots in the game.
At St. Lawrence on Sunday, the Lyons began the contest with an offensive flurry, scoring two goals in the opening half before taking a 3-0 lead in the early minutes of the second stanza. Ristuccia gave Wheaton its first goal midway through the first half, as he drove his shot past a diving effort from the Saint goalkeeper and into the left side of the net. With only twenty seconds to play, senior Olivier Brocard (Wellesley, MA/Wellesley) fed a pass to Mancini, who in turn directed his shot high into the netting for a 2-0 advantage. The Lyons continued to pour it on offensively in the second stanza, as Ristuccia posted his second goal of the contest just 2:20 into the half. St. Lawrence managed to cut into its deficit in the 72nd minute and just over four minutes later the Saints converted a penalty kick. That's all the scoring the Saints would see however, as Pachniuk sealed the win with a last-second save.
Finnerty Earns Second NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week Selection
Finnerty earned his second NEWMAC Player-of-the-Week selection, this time for the week ending on Sunday, November 9. Finnerty's honor marked the final weekly conference award for the 2003 season. Finnerty totaled two goals and four assists in leading Wheaton to its fourth conference tournament championship in the six-year history of the NEWMAC. The junior back posted two assists in a 2-0 victory over Clark University, the game-winning goal in a 4-0 shutout of Babson College in the semifinal round and one goal and two assists in a 3-1 win at MIT in the conference final.
Women's Soccer (23-1-0, 9-0-0) Captures Second Straight NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament Title, Set to Host College of New Jersey in National Quarterfinals
The Wheaton College women's soccer team captured its second straight NCAA Division III New England Regional Tournament championship. The Lyons posted a 2-0 mark in tournament action over the weekend, including a 7-0 triumph over the University of Maine at Farmington in the semifinal round on Saturday and a 3-2 victory against Amherst College in the final on Sunday at Mirrione Stadium. Returning to host the national quarterfinal round for the second consecutive season, Wheaton welcomes The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Ranked first nationally for the first time in school history by the NSCAA, the Lyons extended their winning streak to 19 games.
Versus UMaine-Farmington, the Lyons wasted no time breaking into the scoring column, as senior All-America forward Tracy Prihoda (Needham, MA/Needham) tallied the first of her two goals just 2:21 into the contest. Freshman Jordan Pouliot (Manchester, NH/Trinity) used a header to flick the ball over the Beaver defense and onto the foot of Prihoda, who drove her shot over the outstretched reach of the UMF goalie. Prihoda struck again seven minutes later, notching her 100th career goal. In the 16th minute, junior Erin Brennan (Mesa, AZ/Xavier College Prep) extended Wheaton's advantage to 3-0. The Lyons collected their fourth and final goal of the stanza at the 36:59 minute mark, when Prihoda was taken down from behind in the box. On the ensuing penalty kick, junior Carolyn Wills (Salt Lake City, UT/East) made the score 4-0. Wheaton held an 18-0 advantage in shots and 7-1 edge in corner kicks through the first 45 minutes of play.
In the second half, the Lyons continued their offensive flurry, tallying two more scores over a three-minute span, as Brennan and Pouliot added to their multiple-point performances. Senior Sheila Lacambra (Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate) was credited with the assists on both goals. First-year Maggie Falkenreck (Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet) made the score 7-0 in the 70th minute, converting a pass from sophomore Kate Miller (Williamstown, MA/Mount Greylock). The Blue and White used three goalies, starting with senior Jessica Broomhead (Barrington, RI/Barrington) in the first half. The Lyons finished the game with 37 shots while holding the Beaver offense to zero attempts.
Against Amherst, Wheaton opened the contest with multiple scoring opportunities, led by a quality chance from Prihoda in the first two minutes. Finding open space in the goal box, Prihoda fired a shot from point-blank range, but the Amherst goalie was there to make the clutch save. Following a Brennan header that fell to the left of the goal, Prihoda, Brennan and junior All-America back Erin Duffy (E. Longmeadow, MA/E. Longmeadow) all had open looks at the net, only to see their shots sail over the crossbar. Amherst's first shot on net didn't take place until the 20th minute. The Lyons finally found the back of the net at the 27:22 minute mark, when a streaking Prihoda managed to get behind the Jeff defense. Taking a perfectly-placed pass from Pouliot, Prihoda dribbled to her right and then used the outside of her right foot to place her shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Just five minutes later, Amherst knotted the contest at a goal apiece, ending Wheaton's streak of 657 scoreless minutes.
The Lyons retook the lead on a free kick twenty seconds before the intermission. Junior Beth Caromile (Warwick, RI/Pilgrim) tapped the restart to senior Christy McHugh (Salem, MA/Bishop Fenwick), who in turn left it for sophomore Teresa LeBel (Middleton, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon). LeBel drove her shot into the upper right netting for the 2-1 edge. In the second half, the Jeffs again tied the game just over seven minutes into the stanza. The score remained tied at two goals apiece until the closing minutes of the half, when Prihoda took a rebound off the post from a Caromile shot and in turn buried the ball for the game-winning goal in the 86th minute. Wheaton then managed to keep the ball out of its own end in the final four minutes, allowing time to expire to secure the victory. Broomhead finished with seven saves, as Wheaton outshot Amherst, 29-13 with a 5-2 edge in corners.
Prihoda Selected NEWMAC Player of the Week For Second Time
Prihoda was selected NEWMAC Player of the Week for the second time this season. Earning the final weekly league honor of the season, she was picked for the week ending on Sunday, November 9. Prihoda totaled 10 points in a pair of conference tournament games, helping the Lyons capture their fourth straight NEWMAC title. She scored a goal in a 4-0 win over Wellesley College in the semifinal round and then exploded for four tallies in a 6-0 victory over Springfield College in the championship game. Prihoda leads the NEWMAC in goals scored and total points.
Cross Country Takes Great Strides at NCAA Division III New England Championships
The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams each took great strides at this weekend's NCAA Division III New England Championships held at the Twin Brook Recreation Complex in Cumberland, Maine, as the Lyons improved their finishes by several places compared to one season ago. The men jumped an impressive ten spots, claiming 15th place among the 38-team pool, while the women improved by nine places and finished 11th among 35 competing teams.
The women's 324 points marked the best team performance among the ten NEWMAC schools, as the Lyons finished ahead of Wellesley College, Springfield College and MIT. On the men's side, Wheaton was third in the conference, trailing MIT and the Coast Guard Academy. With 394 total points, the Lyons were a mere five points behind Coast Guard.
Junior Stan Pyle (S. Portland, ME/S. Portland) highlighted the meet, as he will make a second return to next week's NCAA Division III National Championship held at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana. Pyle was among a group of nine individuals not among the four qualifying teams that qualified for next week's race. Entering the meet, Pyle had held the Twin Brook course record with a time of 26:22. Breaking his own personal-best mark, Pyle covered the 8,000-meter course in 26:18, good for ninth place overall. Senior Terry Panetta (Hicksville, NY/St. Anthony's) just missed the qualifying mark, as he finished 18th in 26:33, a second behind the last qualifying runner from Bates College.
Senior Kim Spence (Barrington, NH/Dover) got caught in a similar situation as Panetta, finishing four places and seven seconds behind the last individual qualifier for the national meet. Spence finished the 6,000-meter course in 23:26, good enough for 33rd overall. Sophomore Kendra Leith (Holden, MA/Wachusett Regional) wasn't far behind, placing 37th in 23:37. Other top women runners included freshman Jonatta Moore (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) in 59th in 24:08 and junior Erin O'Brien (N. Easton, MA/Oliver Ames) in 78th in 24:33.
Women's Swimming (3-0) Improves to 3-0 for Second Straight Season with Sweep over Babson & WPI, Men's Swimming (2-1) Splits with Engineers and Beavers
The Wheaton College men's and women's swimming and diving teams are enjoying their early season home stretch in the friendly confines of Balfour Natatorium, as the women improved to a perfect 3-0 for the second straight year with a sweep over Babson College and WPI in Saturday's double-dual meet. On the men's side, the Lyons improved to 2-1 on the season by splitting with the Engineers and Beavers. The women posted a 157-73 triumph against WPI and a 132-102 victory over Babson, while the men edged WPI, 124-108 before falling to Babson, 149-91.
Five individual event wins and two relay victories helped the Wheaton women to strong team performances, as senior co-captain Katie Levine (Needham, MA/Needham) posted an all-around solid meet with a top finish in the 100-yard backstroke (1:06.36) in addition to swimming a leg on the winning 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley relay races. Wheaton's time of 4:21.65 in the 400-yard medley relay was just over two seconds short of the school record. Joining Levine in that race was junior Blake Worrall (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) and first-year athletes Cassie Bohn (Manhattan Beach, CA/Mira Costa) and Colleen Smith (Milford, CT/Lauralton Hall).
Levine, Worrall, Smith and sophomore Lauren Pcholinski (Old Saybrook, CT/Old Saybrook) captured top honors in the 200-yard free relay in 1:47.60. Bohn, Smith and Pcholinski also were recipients of individual event victories. Bohn won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:14.24, Smith the 100-yard butterfly in 1:03.86 and Pcholinski the 1000-yard freestyle in 12:17.03. Freshman Katie McNicholas (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro) rounded out the victors with the top time in the 200-yard individual medley (2:21.91).
Freshman Barrett Roberts (Portland, ME/Deering) was impressive to say the least on the men's side, as he shattered his own school record in the 50-yard freestyle twice in one day. Capturing the title in the 50-yard free with a time of 22.09, he later broke that mark during the 200-yard freestyle relay, sprinting to an impressive 22.06 finish.
Roberts also helped the Lyons capture top honors in the relay, joining senior co-captain's Chris Hurley (Belfast, ME/Belfast Area) and Patrick Sagui (Westwood, MA/Westwood) and junior Chris Klinkow (Hollis, NH/Hollis-Brookline) with a time of 1:31.63, just under a second shy of the school record. Roberts later defeated the opposition in the 100-yard freestyle event (49.01), narrowly missing the Wheaton all-time mark of 48.56. Hurley again posted multiple-event victories, including wins in the 200- (1:52.77) and 500-yard freestyle (5:10.67). Junior Aaron Beaulieu (Freeport, ME/Freeport) helped Wheaton earn valuable points on the platform, placing second in the one- and three-meter dives.
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