Wheaton women's soccer hosts seventh straight NEWMAC final four, seeks sixth conference tournament title in seven years

November 1, 2006

NORTON, MA- The nationally-ranked Wheaton College women's soccer team plays host to its seventh consecutive New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament semifinal and final rounds this weekend, as the Lyons seek their sixth league title in seven years.

Fresh off its eighth straight NEWMAC regular season crown, the Lyons advanced to the semifinals of a league tournament for the 12th straight year. Top-seeded Wheaton takes on number five Babson College on Saturday in a 10:30 a.m. semifinal, while second-seeded Springfield College and number three Smith College face off at 1:30 p.m. The title tilt is slated for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and could be a rematch of the 2005 championship game, when Springfield tied Wheaton before taking the tournament crown in a shootout. The Lyons seek a spot in their seventh straight NCAA Tournament.

At 19-1, Wheaton went 9-0 against conference foes during the regular season, holding a 36-3 scoring edge, before downing Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 2-0 in the first round of the tournament to extend its unbeaten streak in NEWMAC play to 74 games, the second-longest conference undefeated run in NCAA history. The Lyons are ranked 10th nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), as well as second in New England. Babson, which went 4-2-3 in conference play and is 9-4-5 overall, tied Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 1-1 in the first round before advancing with a 3-2 shootout victory. The Lyons downed the Beavers, 1-0 on October 17.

The Lyons have both the NEWMAC's top offense (3.30) and defense (0.50), having posted 13 shutouts. With a 16-game winning streak on the line, the Blue and White looks to tie the fourth-longest run in program history while reaching the 20-win plateau for the seventh time in eight years. Wheaton is 18-0-1 in its last 19 conference tournament games, as well as 24-0-1 all time at Mirrione Stadium during league tournament play. Each of the Lyons' last 10 tournament wins has come via a shutout, and they have blanked opponents during 15 of their last 18 league tournament wins.

Junior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross), who recently became the sixth Lyon with 100 career points, leads the offensive charge with 29 points, 11 assists and nine goals. The 2005 NEWMAC Player of the Year leads the league in assists, is second in points and is tied for fifth in goals. Sophomore Angelamaria Viscomi (Newton, MA/Newton North) is turning in a career season, ranking second in the league in goals (11) and third in points (28) while netting five game-winning markers. Junior Jenna Rabesa (Teaticket, MA/Falmouth) is second in assists (10) and fourth in points (26), classmate Ashley Furr (Chicopee, MA/Cathedral) stands tied for third in helpers (9), while freshman Rosie Levy (Torrance, CA/Chadwick School) is fifth in assists (8).

Anchoring the defense are junior co-captains Erin Davis (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) and Jenna Stiegler (Madison, WI/Middleton), the only Lyons to start every game. A trio of goalkeepers tends the nets, as juniors Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) and Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) and freshman Abby Isaac (Larchmont, NY/Proctor Academy) have platooned. In her first year with Wheaton, Cockburn is 8-0 with a 0.41 goals against average and .875 save percentage, while the veteran Kronenberg is 9-1 with a 0.57 GAA and .872 save percentage. Isaac is 2-0 and has posted a 0.49 GAA and .833 save percentage, but she has found recent success as a field player, notching a goal and an assist during her past two games.

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