Springfield, Mass. – October 16, 2010 – The Springfield College women’s soccer team opened up a 2-0 lead in the first half and held on for a critical 2-1 victory over rival Wheaton College in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon.

Springfield has now won eight of its last nine games, including four in a row, to improve to 10-4, 5-1 in league play. The Lyons drop to 11-3-2, 3-3 in league play as all three of its losses have come to league foes.

In a hard-fought match, both teams battled through constant heavy wind that played a major role in how the game was played.

The Pride benefited from a pair of own goals in the first half as it jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. The first goal came in the 20th minute after Jenelle Jahoda sent a ball into the box that a Wheaton defender played into her owl goal.

Ashley McFarlane had a hand in Springfield’s second tally as she took the ball to the endline and fired a cross that a Wheaton player defending the far post deflected in. The goal came with 3:25 remaining in the opening half.

Wheaton got on the board in the 81st minute on a goal from Alessia Viscomi. The senior took the corner kick from her classmate, Colleen Liffers, and headed into the back of the Springfield net.

The visitors thought they tied it up in the 89th minute, but an foul in the box negated the potential game-tying goal.

Springfield owned a 10-5 advantage in shots for the game, including an 8-2 edge in the first half. Each team took eight corner kicks.

Cawley finished with two saves for the Lyons, while Erin Greenstein posted three saves in the victory.

Springfield next contest will come on the road as it travels to take on Clark University on Tuesday at 6:00 pm.