WORCESTER -- Sadie Recht (Los Angeles, CA) highlighted a three-goal first half outburst for Wheaton women's soccer with a goal and an assist to propel the Lyons to 3-1 victory over host WPI in a NEWMAC women's soccer game played on a rainy, windy Wednesday evening on H.Carr Field at Alumni Stadium. 

With the triumph, Wheaton evens both their overall and conference records at 5-5-1 and 2-2 respectively.  The Engineers are now 4-6-1 on the season and 0-3-1 against NEWMAC foes. 

WPI's best scoring chance of the opening half came just 16 seconds in but Lottie McLeod's bid from the left side was smothered by Lyons netminder Patricia Bandrup (Poway, CA).  From that point it was all Wheaton.  Recht found Raquel Garces (Somerset, NJ) with a long pass and the rookie dribbled the ball into space and netted first career marker at 11:31. 

Bad luck hit the Engineers at 26 minutes in as a long cross from the deep corner by Wheaton's Kate Wickenheisser (Oxford, CT) deflected off a WPI player and into the back of the net for an own goal.  Recht capped the first half scoring barrage when she took a long ball from Makenzie Paulo (West Springfield, MA) and shot over the WPI keeper to make it 3-0 late in the 36th minute. 

The hosts came out in the second half with a renewed energy and were rewarded nearly 14 minutes into the stanza as Lottie McLeod (Newton, MA) collected a pass in the middle and dished off to Grace Casey (Winchester, MA), who blasted a shot from just outside the box for her first goal of the season at 58:35.  The Crimson and Gray continued to apply significant pressure the rest of the way but were unable to pull any closer as Bandrup established a new career-high with 13 saves. 

Kelsey Leach (Tolland, CT) and Lili Hellerman (Ashland, MA) each played in net for the Engineers.  Leach registered three saves over the opening 45 minutes while credited with two stops in the second half.  For the game, the hosts outshot the Lyons 26-8 and attempted all six of the match's corner kicks. 

Both teams continue NEWMAC play on Saturday with noon road matches.  WPI ventures to Wellesley to tangle with the Blue while Wheaton heads to South Hadley to take on Mount Holyoke in a battle of the Lyons.