NEW LONDON, Conn. –
In a pivotal game for the NEWMAC Women's Soccer standings, Wheaton College came out victorious by a score of 1-0 over Coast Guard. The victory keeps the Lyons ahead of Coast Guard in the standings and improves them to 9-7 overall, 5-5 NEWMAC. They will close out the regular season on the road with a 12 PM game at Salve Regina this Saturday.

Wheaton got the action started with a shot just 10 seconds into the game. Responding from that early shot, the Bears nearly scored on two separate occasions. The first of which came on an Anabelle Pezzullo(Ashaway, RI) free kick that was sent just wide. Just after that, sophomore Bella Brittain(Woodbridge, VA) centered a perfect corner but none of her teammates were able to reap the benefits of it.

The Lyons, who dominated possession early, struck first on a Kate Wickenheisser(Oxford, CT) goal that just squeaked under the crossbar and over the reach of CGA keeper Julia Little(Pensacola, FL). After the goal and for the remainder of the games, it was Coast Guard who had the ball more often than not, outshooting Wheaton 18-7.

The end of the first half was full of chances for Coast Guard. Meren Zeliger(Farmington, ME) while mid-slide, sent a shot that looked like it had eyes off her leg but Patricia Bandrup(Poway, CA) dove to make the save. On their next possession, another Brittain well-placed corner found the head of Mia Carabajal-Hartog(Los Lunas, NM) who barely missed the goal. Then, after a scrum right in front of goal, the ball came out right to Ella Pottle(Epping, NH) who fired it at goal but was blocked by a Lyons defender. It was Pottle again who had the closest shot of the night for CGA. Mia Forti found Pottle just in front of the goal but a highlight reel diving save but Bandrup kept the Bears trailing by one going into half.

In the second, Bianca McIntosh(Woodbridge, VA) was close to scoring seemingly every time she touched the ball. As she has made a habit of doing early in her career, McIntosh sent screamer after screamer towards goal but either the post or Lyons keeper Bandrup was there to stop each one.

After 10 minutes of all Coast Guard to start the second, Wheaton got their chance. The Lyons looked poised to hit the dagger and go up 2-0 when Ali Roche(Maynard, MA) sent a ball to Mackenna Reynolds(Longmeadow, MA) right in front of the goal. Luckily for CGA, freshman defender Kaela Hoss(Old Lyme, CT) was alert and there to make the goal-saving kick away. 

With the exception of that chance, Coast Guard was in full ownership of the ball in the second half. Anabelle Pezzullo had two near-scores on two frozen ropes that had a bit too much on them, sneaking over the crossbar.

As the clock ticked down, the Bears continued to win the possession battle but were unable to find the goal. Their closest shot late was an Ellie Millner(Woodbridge, VA) strike just over the goal with 6:29 to go. In the end, Wheaton was able to wind down the clock to hold onto the key 1-0 league victory.

The loss, their first in almost three weeks, drops Coast Guard to 4-11-3(3-6-1 NEWMAC). They will conclude their regular season at home vs Smith College on Saturday November 1st at 3:00 PM. On Saturday, the Bears will honor their five seniors: Teal Wasson(Kahuku, HI), Arwen Wise(Weatherford, TX), Lydia Boyer(Gambrills, MD), Mia Forti(Madison, CT), and Mary Kate Huynh(Grantville, PA).