WORCESTER -- Rookie Emma-Jane Parsons (Oakland, ME) scored a pair of goals to lead the Wheaton women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over host WPI Wednesday evening in NEWMAC play on H. Carr Field at Alumni Stadium.

Wheaton, eighth in the most recent United Soccer Coach Region II rankings, advances to 6-4-4 on the season and 2-2-2 in the NEWMAC. WPI, seventh in the same Region II rankings, sees its record drop to 6-3-4 overall and 3-1-2 in conference action.
 
Wheaton opend the scoring action approximately halfway through the first stanza. A strong hit by Allison Kramer (Irvine, CA) into the box was deflected up by WPI netminder Lili Hellerman (Ashland, MA), and Parsons tapped in the loose ball for the go-ahead goal at 20:31.
 
Later in the first half, a cross by Mackenna Reynolds (Longmeadow, MA) from the corner glided on the head of Parsons for back corner goal at 31:21 for her second of the game and third of the year.
 
WPI threatened to make it a one-goal game in the 56th minute when Lottie McLeod (Newton, MA) fired a shot that tipped by Wheaton keeper Patricia Bandrup (Poway, CA) and off the crossbar.  Senior forward Lily Guiliano (North Salem, NY) corralled the rebound in front of the net, but her putback shot went wide left to keep the shutout intact for the visitors. The Engineers put pressure on the Lyon defense again, nearly three minutes later, when senior midfielder Madisyn Bagby (Aurora, CO) settled a cross at the top of the box, turned and unleashed a shot ticketed for the far left post that was able to keep out of the net by Bandrup with a diving stop to her right.
 
Wheaton looked to be within minutes of its second shutout in as many games, but WPI cracked the scoring column to cut the deficit in half with 2:50 remaining in the contest. Jess English (Ledyard, CT) booted a long serve from just in front of midfield that managed to slip behind the Lyon defense to Fadden, who flicked a shot off the back of her foot inside the right post for her second tally of the year.

The Engineers held an advantage in shots, 19-7, including all 13 shots attempted in the second half and held the upper hand in corners (5-3).
 
Bandrup blocked seven shots for Wheaton while Hellerman posted three saves for the Engineers.
 
Both teams battle in NEWMAC matchups next Saturday. WPI travels over to Coast Guard for a noon contest, while Wheaton is on the road to face Mount Holyoke in a 1pm affair.
 
Recap by WPI Sports Information Student Assistant Maya Vartabedian '24 '25 and Wheaton Sports Information