NORTHAMPTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's soccer team moved into a first-place tie in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Saturday afternoon, as sophomore Emily Hough's (Norwich, VT/Hanover) hat trick pushed the Lyons to a 4-1 victory at Smith College.

Extending its unbeaten streak to four games, Wheaton, which entered today's action ranked sixth in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), is 14-4-1 overall and 6-1-1 in league play with one conference contest remaining. The Pioneers fall to 2-12-2 and 1-5-2.

Hough put Wheaton on the board in the 22nd minute, taking senior Jessica Bramucci's (Ludlow, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) cross and placing her shot in the left corner of the net. The hosts knotted the contest more than two minutes after the Hough tally, but the tie proved to be short-lived, as Hough picked up her second goal just 1:28 later with a header off of a free kick from junior Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield).

The Lyons extended their advantage to 3-1 before the intermission, as freshman Emily Vincunas (Granville, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) found classmate Jessica Stuart (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth), who directed her shot into the left corner at 37:12. Of the 18 shots taken in the opening frame, Wheaton was credited with 15.

Hough completed the hat trick, her second of the season, at 52:22 after receiving a pass from junior Rosie Levy (Torrance, CA/Chadwick School). Freshman goalie Lindsay Leddy (Warwick, RI/Wheeler School) made one stop to raise her record to 11-3-1, while Smith senior goalie Lauren Bachtel (Dublin, OH/Coffman) finished with 10 saves. Wheaton outshot the Pioneers, 28-4, and the hosts took five of the game's seven corner kicks.

The Blue and White travels to Wellesley College on Tuesday in a critical conference contest at 3:15 p.m. In order to capture the regular season championship outright for the 10th consecutive year, the Lyons will need to finish ahead of Springfield College, a team which defeated Wheaton earlier this season and currently boasts the same league record.