Wheaton holds off Women’s Soccer in season opener

Box Score BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women's Soccer team had its home opener unbeaten streak halted as Wheaton College took down the Hawks 1-0 Friday afternoon. It was the team's first loss in a home opener since 2010, also against the Lyons in a 1-2 contest.

In the fifth minute, Kaitlin Montoya (Placentia, Calif.) took the ball down the right side and appeared to have a clear lane to the goal. However, Kristen Knight (Marion, Mass.) managed to chase her down and make a sliding kick ball out of bounds, forcing a corner that the Lyons were unable to capitalize on.

Three minutes later, Tess Weyburne (Maynard, Mass.) took the ball on the left side off of a long cross pass across the box, and had a great look at a potential goal. However, she missed the one-timer and the Hawks escaped without allowing the shot.

The Hawks looked poised to put a goal on the board in the 21st minute, with Carla Salcedo (Mexico City, Mexico) putting a shot on net from the middle of the penalty area. Yet, Wheaton's Julie Beyar (South Hempstead, N.Y.) was able to get a body on it and deflect the attempt.

Jessica Valenti (North Reading, Mass.) put a scare in the Wheaton sideline in the 32nd minute, taking the ball down the right side and chipping a deep shot towards the left corner. Her shot caught the defense off guard and had the distance but hooked wide at the last minute.

In the 37th minute, Wheaton's Sarah Buckley (Oviedo, Fla.) made a great pass to a streaking Julia Cipriano (Middlebury, Conn.), who corralled the ball and attempted to cross a shot into the corner. RWU's Sydney Martin (Scarborough, Maine) made a great diving stop to keep the game scoreless.

After a scoreless first half, the second period opened with a couple of close calls on both ends. Mariah Kaiser (Portsmouth, R.I.) turned and fired on a long shot that just bent wide. A couple of minutes later, Cipriano just missed a header attempt into an open net on a corner kick.

The Lyons were able to break through in the 51st minute, when Lauren Corigliano (Roselle Park, N.J.) dropped a pass into the penalty area to Cipriano, who was able to secure possession and send a shot up the middle to the back of the net for the first goal of 2014.

Wheaton had a chance two minutes later to double its lead, with Corigliano having back-to-back shots at point blank range on the net. Yet Martin made a great heads-up play on both attempts, stopped both shots on to keep the deficit at one.

Valenti nearly knotted the game at one in the 70th minute, slipping a shot through a crowd of players off of free kick that bounced backwards. Yet her ball rolled just a bit too far left, missing the net and the tying goal.

Caren McCarthy (San Jose, Calif.) had her shot in the 75th minute hit off the front of the crossbar, chipping a short shot off of a heading pass by Corigliano. The Lyons had their opportunities to add to the lead but in the end was able to stave off the Hawk attack and hold on for the win.

Lyon keeper Ali Hinton (Lafayette, Colo.) needed two saves for the shutout, while Martin stopped six shots in the loss.

Wheaton will make its home debut tomorrow against St. Joseph's College (Maine), while the Hawks play next Wednesday against Lasell.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Mariah Kaiser: F; 5' 7"; Junior

#24 Kristen Knight: B; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#8 Jessica Valenti: MF; 5' 5"; Junior

#1 Sydney Martin: GK; 5' 7"; Freshman

#23 Carla Salcedo: MF; 5' 3"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#7 Mariah Kaiser
: 5' 7"; Junior
: F

#24 Kristen Knight
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: B

#8 Jessica Valenti
: 5' 5"; Junior
: MF

#1 Sydney Martin
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: GK

#23 Carla Salcedo
: 5' 3"; Junior
: MF