The nationally-ranked Wheaton College women's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday afternoon at Mirrione Stadium, as the Lyons dropped a 2-1 decision to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action while falling into a first-place tie with the Engineers.
Ranked seventh in the country and first in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Wheaton had its 13-game unbeaten, eight-game winning and six-game shutout streaks halted in falling to 13-1-2 overall and 6-1 in league play. MIT, which is ranked eighth in New England, defeated the Lyons for the fourth time in their last five meetings to move to 11-3-1 and 6-1.
All the game's scoring took place between the 11th and 34th minutes, with MIT senior Leslie Meyer (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) cracking the scoring column at 10:23. Collecting a rebound off an initial shot from junior Rachel Dias Carlson (Albany, N.Y./Albany), Meyer was in position for the easy putback in scoring her first goal of the season.
Wheaton knotted the contest just over 10 minutes later, when the Lyons used a quick restart to their advantage following an Engineer handball just outside the top of the box. Senior Tara Caney (West Springfield, Mass./West Springfield) put the ball down and gave a quick pass toward the right wing to freshman Julia Cipriano (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug), who proceeded to drive her shot into the upper netting beyond the reach of the MIT keeper.
The Engineers' game-winner took place at 33:40. Freshman Priyanka Gaur (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis) carried the ball before feeding junior Michaelann Rodriguez (Florence, Ala./Florence) streaking toward the middle of the box. Rodriguez collected the pass and sent a left-footed strike over the outstretched reach of Lyon freshman goalie Ali Hinton (Lafayette, Colo./Alexander Dawson School).
Neither team posed a serious scoring threat in the second half, as MIT held a 5-3 edge in shots while taking the frame's lone corner kick. Hinton finished with a pair of stops in her first loss of the season, while Engineer senior Meghan Wright (Devon, Pa./Conestoga) also had two saves in the win.
For the game, MIT finished with an 11-7 advantage in shots, while Wheaton took two of the contest's three corner kicks.
The Lyons head to league foe Babson College on Saturday for a 1 p.m. start.
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