SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – A goal in each half powered the Wheaton College soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday at the MHC Soccer Field. With the victory, Wheaton moves to 10-5-1 overall and 5-1-0 in conference play, while the homestanding Lyons slip to 5-10-0 and 0-7-0 in the NEWMAC.
Wheaton struck first in the opening half as junior Gabriella Verde (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) punched one in just 58 seconds into the contest. First year Kaitlin Montoya (Placentia, Calif./Orange Lutheran) earned the assist, passing it up to Verde, who went around the keeper, and into the right corner.
The visiting Lyons kept MHC on its toes in the opening half, firing off 14 shots, including nine on goal, to MHC's one shot. First year keeper Zoe Marshall (Mississauga, Ont./Cawthra Secondary School) made a number of outstanding stops through the first 45 minutes, including a great catch on a bullet shot from sophomore forward Julia Cipriano (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) with 16:50 left in the half.
Wheaton continued its onslaught in the second half, firing in five shots to open the action. Junior midfielder Kelsee Howes (Maynard, Mass./Maynard) tipped it to a 2-0 favor for 
Wheaton at 68:17 after she corralled a pass from sophomore back Julie Beyar (South Hempstead, N.Y./South Side), dribbled around a defender and shot in low down the middle past the reach of Marshall.
First year midfielder Carina Thomas (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani) nearly made it a 3-0 edge minutes later when she fired a shot in off a cross that Marshall tipped away with her fingertips. Wheaton's defense continued to dominate over the final minutes, holding Mount Holyoke to just one shot in the frame.
Wheaton finished with 27 shots in the game to MHC's two. The visiting Lyons also held a 12-1 edge in corner kicks for the game. In goal, sophomore Taylor Wilson (Bellingham, Mass./Bellingham) earned the win and was not forced to make any stops. For Mount Holyoke, Marshall finished with 11 stops.
MHC is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to Springfield for a 7pm contest. Wheaton is also in action on Tuesday with a 7pm game at Coast Guard.
