Blue Soccer Drops 3-0 Final To Visiting Wheaton

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Noelle Perciballi (Fort Salonga, N.Y.) scored the game-winner in the first half and classmate Aymara O'Brien-Pappalardo (Easton, Conn.) added a goal and an assist in the second half, as Wheaton College defeated Wellesley College soccer, 3-0, in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Tuesday at the Wellesley Fields Complex.

Wheaton, who also got a seven save shutout from sophomore Alexa Barbagallo (Bridgewater, N.J.), has now won five-straight games to improve to 8-1-1 on the season and 2-1-0 in the NEWMAC. Wellesley is now 3-6-2 overall and 2-2-0 in conference action. 

Perciballi dropped in a shot from the top of the penalty area to make the score 1-0 in the first half. First year Hannah Lepordo (Sudbury, Mass.) played the ball up the right side of the field to Perciballi, who then delivered a strike past Wellesley goalkeeper Olivia Reckley (Grosse Ile, Mich.). Wellesley finished the first half with a 3-2 advantage in shots, but the game made it to halftime with the visitors in front, 1-0.

Wheaton put the game away with two goals late in the second half. O'Brien-Pappalardo pounced on a failed clear in the Wellesley end to make the score 2-0 at 75:04. She then set-up senior Megan Healey's (Huntington, N.Y.) fourth of the year with a beautiful right to left long range cross at 79:01.

Barbagallo (5-0-0) made two saves in the first half and five after the break for the Lyons. Reckley (3-6-2) made three saves for the Blue, who finished the game with a 12-8 advantage in shots. Senior Melise Knowles (Diablo, Calif.) had a team-high five shots for Wellesley. 

Both teams continue the NEWMAC season on Saturday, October 7, at 1:00 PM. Wellesley will host Springfield on Senior Day and Wheaton will welcome Smith.