Box Score NEW LONDON, CONN. – Senior Julia Cipriano tallied two assists and a goal as Wheaton blanked Coast Guard 3-0 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action.
The Bears fall to 6-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play. The Lyons improve to 11-5-1 on the season and 4-2-1 in the NEWMAC.
Wheaton started off the game strong as sophomore Sarah Buckley had two early shots from the top of the Coast Guard penalty box making freshman goalkeeper Rachel Boohar make two saves.
Coast Guard had their first opportunity of the night within the first 15 minutes as senior Caroline Eastman sent a cross in from the right side to the center of the box. Junior Brianna Grisell met the cross and sent a shot towards goal but was blocked by a Lyon's defender.
Midway through the first half Wheaton scored their first goal of the game as Cipriano sent a cross to the back post from the right side of the field. The service found sophomore Caren McCarthy who one touched a shot over a leaping Boohar for her second goal of the season.
The Bears had their best opportunity of the game as Grisell found junior Emily Matthews with a through ball putting her in on goal. Matthews took a touch and fired a shot but was denied by freshman goalkeeper Leann Wolf.
Boohar made a brilliant save towards the end of the first half when Cipriano got in behind the Coast Guard defense for a one on one opportunity with Boohar. Cipriano fired a shot, but a sliding Boohar knocked the ball away and was cleared out of danger by the Bears defense.
With three and half minutes left in the half Wheaton earned a corner kick and played it quickly to Cipriano who dribbled into the Coast Guard penalty box. Cipriano served a cross into the center of the box that bounced and landed at the feet of sophomore Megan Healy. In the scrum Healy managed to flick a shot into the back of the net with her heal for her third goal of the season making the half time score 2-0.
It was quiet second half as the teams mustered a combined six shots in the period (Lyons: 4 Bears: 2).
Wheaton made the best of their few opportunities in the 58th minute as freshman Kaylee Sye hit a diagonal pass through the Coast Guard defense to Cipriano putting her in on goal. Cipriano held of a charging Bears defender and pinged a shot off the left post into the goal for her tenth goal of the season.
Cipriano is tied for fourth in the NEWMAC with ten goals and first with 6 assists.
Boohar (5-8) faced 13 shots, eight on goal, making five saves. Boohar is fifth in the conference with 70 saves.
Wolf (8-3-1) made one save on six shots, one on goal. Wolf is second in the NEWMAC with a .66 goals against average.
Coast Guard is back in action this weekend as they travel to Boston, Massachusetts for a NEWMAC tilt with Emerson. Kickoff is 1:00.
