NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's soccer team is headed to a school-best ninth straight NCAA Tournament this weekend, as the Lyons recently learned of their first-round game against Eastern University on Saturday at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, at 11:00 a.m. The second contest of the day is between the host Profs and Oneonta State College, with Saturday's winners advancing to Sunday for the right to advance to the following weekend's sectional round.

The Lyons, who earned their second NCAA Tournament at-large berth to go alongside seven automatic qualifiers, advanced to yesterday's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament title game for the 10th straight season after capturing at least a share of the league's regular season title in each of those falls. Wheaton enters the tournament at 16-5-2 and is ranked sixth in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Eastern is 14-5 after winning the tournament title in the Freedom Conference, which is part of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation (MAC). Saturday's meeting will mark the first between the schools. The Eagles are ranked seventh in the latest NSCAA Middle Atlantic poll. The Lyons enter the weekend unbeaten in seven of their last eight matches, while Eastern is riding a nine-game winning streak with eight shutouts.

Boasting a 12-8-1 record in its first eight NCAA Tournament appearances, Wheaton hits the road for the first time since the 2005 season, when the Blue and White was in Oneonta, New York. Each of the Lyons' last four NCAA Tournament games were decided by shutout. Of Wheaton's 23 games this season, 16 involved shutouts, including 13 by the Lyons, a figure that is tied for ninth in program annals. During the team's seven-game unbeaten stretch prior to Sunday's overtime title-game loss to nationally-ranked Springfield College, it recorded five clean sheets.

Twelfth-year head coach Luis Reis, who has led the Lyons to at least 16 wins in each of the last 10 seasons, has one of the highest winning percentages among active Division III women's soccer coaches while posting an overall record of 234-36-10 (.854). Wheaton is 3-3-1 on the road during NCAA Tournament play and is 8-2-1 away from Mirrione Stadium this season. The Lyons hold a 52-17 scoring advantage while limiting the opposition to 0.72 goals per game.

Sophomores Melida Alvarez (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) and Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover) lead the Lyon attack, combining to score 27 times with 14 assists and nine game-winning goals. Alvarez paces Wheaton with 14 tallies to go alongside three helpers for 31 points, while Hough's balanced scoring includes 13 goals, 11 assists and 37 points. Senior Jessica Bramucci (Ludlow, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) has contributed 16 points, while freshman Jessica Stuart (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) and junior co-captain Lyndsey McManus (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) have 11 and 10, respectively.

McManus, who has six assists from her back position, and sophomore back Alessia Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North), who scored Saturday's game-winner over Clark University, anchor a Lyon defense that has held opponents to a goal or less 17 times. Goalie Lindsay Leddy (Warwick, RI/Wheeler School), who is 13-4-2 with a 0.63 GAA and 10 shutouts, became just the second Lyon freshman to reach a double-figure shutout total. Her 10 clean sheets are tied for fourth in school history.

2008 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament Bracket