Weekly Lyon

Field Hockey (1-0) Edges Past Salve Regina, 2-1 in Season Opener During Lone Contest

The Wheaton College field hockey team opened its 2008 campaign with a 2-1 triumph at Salve Regina University on Friday during the team's lone game of the week. The contest marked the sixth consecutive season the Lyons began the year with a game decided by one goal, and the fifth straight against the Seahawks, but it was the first of the six that did not extend into overtime.

At Salve Regina, junior Alex Block (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) recorded the first two-goal game of her career, scoring both during a 46-second span late in the first half before the hosts scored 40 ticks after Block's second goal to complete the scoring. Sophomore back Ashley English (Watertown, MA/Watertown) notched an assist for her first career point during the contest, while senior Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) played a hand in the game-winner. Junior keeper Andrea Bagley (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) made six saves while earning her first collegiate victory.

Ardito is second in program history in career assists (23), needing three to tie the record. She also stands fourth in points (67) and tied for fourth in goals (22).

Men's Soccer (1-0-1) Opens Season with Win and Tie as Host of Adidas Kick-Off Classic

The Wheaton College men's soccer team went 1-0-1 during its own Adidas Kick-Off Classic over the weekend, first defeating Husson College, 3-0 on Friday before playing to a tie with the State University of New York at New Paltz, 2-2 in double overtime on Saturday.

Against Husson, sophomore Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) tallied a pair of goals during the second straight season opener in leading the Lyons to their 18th straight home-opening victory. Classmate Josh Solomon (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro Regional) assisted both before fellow second-year forward David Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) tallied to cap Wheaton's outburst of three goals in a 15:04 span of the first half. Sophomores Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School) and Chris Smart (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield) notched one save apiece while splitting time, as Davidson earned the win after playing the first half.

During Wheaton's tie with SUNY New Paltz, the Hawks twice overcame a one-goal deficit. Junior Adam Sussman (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) headed home sophomore Jake Wagner's (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) long throw during the 32nd minute before the visitors knotted the game in the 41st minute, but sophomore Eric Driscoll (Lexington, MA/Lexington) buried a penalty kick at 57:43 to put the Lyons back in front. However, New Paltz forced overtime with a 78th-minute marker. Davidson finished with three saves, including one from point-blank range in each half.

After Wheaton's freshmen, the Class of 2011, scored 28 of the team's 45 goals and recorded 34 of 50 assists last season, the class played a role in all five tallies thus far, with four goals and three assists.

Women's Soccer (2-0) Begins Season with Pair of Shutouts, Alvarez Nets Winner in Each

The Wheaton College women's soccer team, ranked 12th in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), notched a pair of shutouts to open the season this past week, downing host Roger Williams University, 1-0 on Friday before picking up a 4-0 triumph against visiting Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Sunday. The Lyons are now riding a 36-game regular season unbeaten streak, having tied a school record initially set in 2005.

Sophomore Melida Alvarez's (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) 55th-minute goal was the difference at Roger Williams, as she converted junior Rosie Levy's (Torrance, CA/Chadwick School) breakout pass. Wheaton held a 21-6 advantage in shots, while freshman netminder Lindsay Leddy (Warwick, RI/Wheeler School) made two saves for the victory and shutout in her debut.

Against Saint Joseph's, the Lyons moved to 16-0-1 in their last 17 home openers by racking up a 36-1 advantage in shots and burying three first-half tallies. Alvarez put Wheaton on top in the 24th minute before senior Jessica Bramucci (Ludlow, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) scored the next two Lyon goals 12:03 apart before halftime. In the 73rd minute, freshman Jessica Stuart (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) notched her first collegiate tally. Classmate Kasey Frasier (Bennington, VT/Mount Anthony Union) made one save to earn a win and a shutout in her initial college appearance.

Wheaton has posted six shutouts in its past seven games dating back to last season, as well as yielded just two goals over the last 1,201:39 during a 14-contest span. Alvarez is ninth in program history with 25 career goals, having done so in 26 career games, and has posted 11 game-winning tallies.

Women's Tennis (2-0) Kicks Off 2008 Campaign with Consecutive 9-0 Victories

The Wheaton College women's tennis team, which is ranked 24th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) Northeast poll, began its season with a pair of 9-0 victories over the weekend, downing host Salve Regina University on Friday before defeating visiting Simmons College on Saturday. The Lyons won their first two matches of the season for the sixth consecutive fall.

At Salve Regina, the Lyons lost just five games during singles play to highlight the shutout. Junior Katherine Knies (Purdys, NY/North Salem), sophomores Sarah Geocaris (Newport Beach, CA/Sage Hill School), Catherine Teague (Manchester, NH/Central) and Ellen Van Faasen (Manchester, MA/Manchester Essex Regional), and freshmen Rosalyn Chesky (South Hadley, MA/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) and Allesandra DiOrio (Cumberland, RI/Lincoln School) each won their singles matches in straight sets after the pairings of Geocaris/Teague, DiOrio/Knies and Chesky/Van Faasen had been victorious in the first, second and third doubles positions, respectively.

Against Simmons, Wheaton easily swept through doubles, losing a total of eight games, before four of the Lyons' six singles wins were closely contested. The tandems of DiOrio/Geocaris, Knies/senior Mallory Farmer (Washington, CT/The Gunnery) and Chesky/Van Faasen picked up doubles wins before DiOrio, Geocaris, Knies, Van Faasen and senior Oriana Federico (Andover, MA/Lawrence Academy) each won their matches in straight sets. Chesky battled for a 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 win at number five.

Women's Volleyball (1-2) Opens Season at Gordon Invitational, Kraus Named All-Tourney

The Wheaton College women's volleyball team opened its 2008 slate with a 1-2 showing at the Gordon College Invitational on Saturday, defeating the University of New England, 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-19) during the middle match. The Lyons opened against Endicott College, which has been to the past two NCAA Tournaments, with a 3-0 (21-25, 16-25, 21-25) loss and fell in five sets to Keene State College, 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 25-22, 20-25, 8-15) during its final match. Junior Lauren Kraus (Westboro, MA/Westboro) was named to the all-tournament team after tallying 31 kills, 11 blocks and six aces.

Against Endicott, freshman Miranda Howitt (San Francisco, CA/International) began her career with nine kills and four digs, while Kraus had eight kills, five digs and five blocks. Sophomore Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT/Jonathan Law) notched nine digs, and classmate Becca Rose (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) had 15 assists and three blocks.

During Wheaton's victory over the University of New England, Kraus posted 11 kills and three blocks, while senior Liana Merrill (Northwood, NH/Coe-Brown Northwood Academy) added eight kills. Howitt had seven kills, nine digs and five aces, while freshman Emily Davisson (Carpinteria, CA/Laguna Blanca School) and Hunt recorded 12 and eight digs, respectively.

The Lyons saw a 2-1 lead slip away against Keene State after winning the second and third sets. Kraus turned in 12 kills, three blocks and three aces, Howitt tallied nine kills, Davisson notched 22 digs while Rose collected 37 assists.

Rose is fifth in program history in career assists, with 1,316, while Kraus moved into the top 10 in blocks, as she is tied for ninth with 164. She is also five kills short of 500 early in her junior year.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 9/6/08.
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News

Women's Soccer: Hough's tally sends Wheaton past Emmanuel, Leddy notches third shutout (more)

Women's Tennis: Geocaris and Teague draw weekly tennis honors from NEWMAC (more)