NORTON, Mass. — Senior midfielder Aidan Doyle (Kingston, Mass.) netted the lone goal and junior keeper Nick Phinney (Gorham, Maine) made a career-high 10 saves to lead the No. 8 Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team over visiting No. 14 Middlebury College, 1-0, this afternoon in the Second Round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament at Keefe Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll, improve to 16-1-4, while the Panthers' season comes to an end at 10-6-2.
Wheaton advances past the second round for the first time since 2004 when it defeated Babson College, 3-2, in the second round on November 14. The shutout marks the first time in school history that the Lyons have posted consecutive shutouts in NCAA Tournament play.
Doyle netted the only goal of the match when he sent a serve from the left corner flag on a corner kick that curved around the near post and bounced past the Middlebury keeper for his team-leading 11th marker of the year. The score gave Wheaton a 1-0 edge in the 21st minute of the contest. Phinney did the rest for the Lyons. The junior goalie learned that he would start the match less than 24 hours before the opening kickoff when it was deemed that Wheaton's starting keeper was unable to play. Phinney was up to the challenge again and again to record his second career clean sheet.
The Panthers took advantage of a strong headwind in the second half to own a dominant 19-4 shot advantage and outshot the Lyons 28-10 for the match. Middlebury held a 10-5 margin in shots on frame to become the first squad this season to put double-digit attempts on net against Wheaton. The Panthers also held a 6-5 margin in corner kicks.
The Lyons were in a position to increase their lead with a pair of subsequent penalty kicks, but were unsuccessful on both tries. Less than two minutes after his first tally, Doyle made a bid for his second goal of the day after the Panthers were called for a hand ball in the box. His shot was ticketed for the right corner of the net, but senior netminder Joey Waterman (North Andover, Mass.) guessed right, making a diving stop to his left to keep it a one-goal affair. Wheaton's second missed opportunity wasn't nearly as clear cut. Sophomore Gael Vera (Westminster, Mass.) was taken down just inside the box to set up junior forward Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.) for the prime scoring chance in the 55th minute. Rhatigan's PK was also denied by Waterman with a diving stop to his right, but Rhatigan was there for the rebound and put the ball into the back of the net with his left foot for an apparent goal. The score was waived off and the official explanation was because of an inadvertent whistle.
Middlebury looked to level the score with the Lyons behind two excellent scoring chances in a span of 33 seconds in the first half. Sophomore midfielder Keagan Harder (Arlington, Mass.) fired a point-blank shot as he slid into the right slot, but Phinney was there for the denial. The stop resulted in a corner kick for the Panthers and first year midfielder Ben Shapiro (Winchester, Mass.) sent the service into the goalmouth, where junior back Pablo Gonzalez (Madrid, Spain) headed a shot that Phinney punched off the cross bar. The ball came straight down inside the field of play to keep the shutout alive.
Middlebury threatened to get on the board first in the 14th minute when junior midfielder Colin Dugan (Avon, Conn.) fired a shot just outside the box on a free kick that Phinney leapt up to swat away.
Waterman finished the match with four saves for the Panthers, while Harder paced the offense with four shots, including the one on frame.
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.