BABSON PARK, Mass.—Junior Travis Blair (Hastings, N.Y.) had a goal and an assist, and visiting Wheaton College scored once in each half to earn a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Babson College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's soccer action on Saturday afternoon at Hartwell-Rogers Field.

With the win, Wheaton moves to 9-3-0 overall and 3-0-0 in conference play, while Babson, which has now lost three straight matches, falls to 7-5-0 overall and 1-2-0 in the league.

Sophomore Noah Kossoff (New York, N.Y.) scored his fourth goal of the season and junior Marlon Ramalho (Framingham, Mass.) picked up an assist as the Lyons snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Beavers going back to 2008.

Three of Babson's best scoring opportunities came in the opening 15 minutes of the match. Wheaton's sophomore goalkeeper Matt Dickey (Newton, Mass.) made a pair of big saves, tipping a 15-yard blast from Beavers' senior Mike Fisher (Longmeadow, Mass.) off the top of the crossbar and out of danger just over five minutes into the contest, and then punched away a 20-yard rocket from junior David Abers (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in the 14th minute.

Babson appeared to open the scoring in the 15th minute as senior Dillon Ventura (Pittstown, N.J.)was able to convert a long throw in from junior Patrick Ellis (Braintree, Mass.) that had bounced over Dickey's head, but an offsides call waved the score off. The Lyons took advantage, grabbing a 1-0 lead just over five minutes later on Kossoff's finish. Ramalho got the play started with a cross from the right wing and Blair played the ball back across to Kossoff, who lofted a header over Beavers' sophomore goalkeeper Tanner Click (Lawrence, Mass.) and inside the right post at the 19:52 mark.

The Green and White pressed hard for the equalizer early in the second half but again were unable to finish. Senior Kevin Israel (Lafayette Hill, Pa.) hit a right-footed blast that went just wide of the left post in the 49th minute, and Dickey made his third big save of the game, denying sophomore Tyler Carlos' (Prospect, Conn.) header with a diving save at the left post in the 51st minute.

After Babson junior Justin Laurenzo (Park Ridge, N.J.) had his head-ball go just over the crossbar off a re-start at 66:49, Wheaton wasted little time in changing the momentum and adding an insurance goal. Blair gained possession just over midfield following a Lyons goal kick and made a long run down the left flank before hitting a low shot that beat Click, who came charging off his line, and deflected off the inside of the right post for a 2-0 lead at 67:33. 

Click, who was making his first collegiate start, finished with one save for Babson, while Dickey made three of his four stops in the first half to post his third shutout of the season for Wheaton.

Both teams finished with 10 shots on the afternoon and the Lyons held a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.

Babson, which will play five of its next six matches on the road, returns to action next Saturday in a 1 p.m. start at Clark, while Wheaton hosts Trinity on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Game Notes: Babson is now 13-16-0 all-time against Wheaton…Prior to today's result, five of the last seven matches between the two teams had been decided by one goal…The shutout marks the first time the Beavers have been held scoreless at Hartwell-Rogers Field since a 1-0 loss to Bowdoin on September 16, 2012.