Wildcats held scoreless in home-opener

BOSTON, Mass. - The Wheelock Wildcats battled tough in the home opener, but fell to DeSales University 9-0 Sunday afternoon at Winsor Field.  First year goalie Allie Chiesa (Medford, MA) was again strong in goal, facing 29 shots and recording 12 saves. Three different Bulldog players scored two goals each for DeSales as the Pennsylvania team recorded its first victory of the season.  (Senior Captain Erin Reardon pictured right.)

Senior Nicole Pietrobon (Allentown, PA) led DeSales with two goals and an assist, launching a pass from teammate Tori Kinek (Blandon, PA) past a diving Chiesa to give her team the 1-0 advantage less than five minutes into the game. The Bulldogs followed less than a minute later when junior Amanda Ziegler (Aston, PA) found Pietrobon again from mid-field to give DeSales the 2-0 advantage.

Freshman Christina Pietrabon (Allentown, PA) scored the next two goals for the Bulldogs, dribbling past Wheelock defenders for an unassisted goal and sending a pass from Amanda Fink (Nazareth, PA) into the upper right corner of the net.

DeSales outshot Wheelock 20-1 in the first half, but the Wildcats played a strong second half, managing five shots on goal to the Bulldogs nine. Wheelock's Chiesa recorded eight saves in the first period and four in the second, while DeSales goalie Melissa Millili (Deptford, NJ) recorded three saves for the shutout.

Regina Kessler (Staten Island, NY) netted two goals for DeSales, while Haley Vollmer (Harrisburg, PA), Katie Halpin (Easton, PA), and Gina Locke (Gardner, MA) each scored a goal. Senior Wildcat Rachael Schauer (Brookline, MA) led Wheelock with two shots on goal.

Wheelock will next travel to UMass Boston on September 15 in non-conference action. DeSales will face Muhlenberg College at home on Thursday night.

Click here for the photo gallery from this game.