Wheaton extends winning streak to 11 games by downing Clark, 3-0

October 14, 2006

NORTON, MA- Three players scored as the Wheaton College women's soccer team won its 11th straight game by knocking off Clark University, 3-0 during New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday at Mirrione Stadium. The Lyons, who are ranked 11th nationally and second in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), improved to 14-1 overall and 6-0 in the league while maintaining their hold on first place. The Cougars fell to 3-9-1 and 1-4-1.

The Blue and White, which has now won its last 10 series meetings with Clark, extended its NEWMAC unbeaten streak to 70 games and is closing in on the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point (72) for the second-longest conference unbeaten run in NCAA soccer history, regardless of division or gender.

Wheaton junior Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) netted the lone goal of the first half, and it proved to be all the Lyons would need. A little more than 13 minutes into the contest, juniors Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) and Katelyn Brack (Lake Oswego, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) worked the ball from the left sideline toward the center of the field, where Furr received and buried her first goal of the season. Clark had a chance to knot the contest with less than a minute to go in the half, but freshman Jess Mirkin (Wellesley, MA/Wellesley) pushed her point-blank shot to the right of the net.

Early in the second half, sophomore Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) nearly doubled Wheaton's lead, but her 47th-minute shot was turned aside by diving senior keeper Thea Link (Irvington, NY/Irvington), and Rabesa's follow-up attempt rang off the crossbar.

Nearly seven minutes later, however, the Lyons made it 2-0. Rabesa sent a pass across the goal mouth and, after a Clark defender missed a clearing attempt, junior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) connected on her seventh goal of the season. After a scramble in front following a corner kick in the 70th minute, Brack contributed to Wheaton's third goal by sending a short pass to sophomore Jamie Smith (Kensington, CT/Saint Paul Catholic), who sent home her second collegiate tally.

For the game, the Lyons held a 24-9 advantage in shots while garnering the game's only three corner kicks. Junior keepers Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) and Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) totaled three saves for Wheaton. On the Clark side, Link made five saves.

The Lyons hit the road for their next three games, beginning with a conference showdown at Babson College on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Clark (3-9-1, 1-4-1) 0 0 0
Wheaton (14-1, 6-0) 1 2 3

1st Half: WC- Ashley Furr (Katelyn Brack, Jenna Rabesa) 13:01

2nd Half: WC- Lauren Konopka (Rabesa) 53:44, Jamie Smith (Brack) 69:12

Goalie Saves: WC- Elana Cockburn (45:00) 2, Stacey Kronenberg (45:00) 1; CU- Thea Link 5

Shots: WC- 24; CU- 9

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