NORTON, MA — Junior forward Caroline DiGiovanni (Harwich, Mass.) scored a pair of goals to lead the No. 6 Babson College field hockey team over host Wheaton College (Mass.), 7-0, this evening in New England Women’s & Men’s Athletic Conference play at Nordin Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Beavers, who are ranked in the most recent National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, improve to 6-3 on the season, including a perfect 2-0 in league play to extend their incredible conference regular-season win streak to 61 straight with their last NEWMAC loss dating back to October 17, 2015. The Lyons fall to 6-3 and 0-2 in league action.

Babson dominated from start to finish, owning a 29-1 shot advantage, including identical 8-0 margins in the second and fourth quarters of play. The Beavers held a 10-1 advantage in penalty corners as well.

Wheaton’s defense was resilient for most of the first quarter and did not break until Babson broke through on a penalty corner inside the final two minutes of the period. Senior back Berit Sharrow (Denver, Colo.) took a short cross from senior defender Ellie Powers (Bethlehem, Pa.) and fired a shot from just inside the circle on the left side for the first marker of the night and her third goal of the season with just 83 seconds left in the quarter.

The Beavers added to their total with a successful strike early in the second quarter to double their lead at 2-0. Junior midfielder Alex Michelotti (Englewood, Colo.) carried the ball down to the endline on the right side, before sending a centering cross to classmate Caroline DiGiovanni (Harwich, Mass.), who ripped a shot from the front of the cage for her first marker of the match just 2:54 into the period.

Graduate student forward Andrea Marguerite (Hopkinton, Mass.) increased the visitors’ cushion to 3-0 with a goal coming with 6:58 remaining before the intermission. Marguerite collected a loose ball just outside the circle, before pulling it inside the arc, where she unleashed a bouncing shot that found the far left corner of the cage for her third tally of the year,

The Lyons’ defense did a commendable job to hold nationally-ranked Babson to just three goals in the opening half, but the Beavers erupted for three goals in a span of just over six minutes of play in the third quarter to effectively put the game out of reach.

DiGiovanni’s second score came when she collected a long rebound, turned and fired a shot into the back of the cage from just outside the goal box for her seventh goal of the year with 10:27 to go in the quarter. Babson scored just 2:07 later to bump its cushion to 5-0. Junior back Sanne van der Goes (Glenview, Ill.) dribbled the ball along the endline before sending a cross to the front of the cage, where sophomore forward Helen DiGiovanni (Harwich, Mass.) converted for her third marker of the season. The Beavers’ final goal of the quarter came with 4:02 showing on the clock to give them a 6-0 advantage. Graduate student midfielder Katie Guden (Belmont, Mass.) carried the ball along the endline, before flipping it to the front of the cage for senior forward Jessica Evans (Southbury, Conn.), who was able to push the ball over the goal line for her fourth tally of the year.

Wheaton stemmed Babson’s momentum in the fourth quarter, holding it to just one goal for the quarter. Senior midfielder Camille Marsh (Englewood, Colo.) ripped a shot from five yards in front of the cage, but Lyon defender Abby Miller (Andover, Mass.) stopped the attempt with a defensive save. Junior forward Ally Antonacci (Skillman, N.J.) picked up the rebound and lifted it into the back of the cage in a scrum for her first goal of the season with 8:22 remaining in the contest.

The Lyons only shot of the match came with 7:56 left in the third quarter when senior midfielder Lydia Gaudreau (Gorham, Maine) smacked a shot from the edge of the arc on a penalty corner, but it proved to be harmless.

Senior keeper Bayla Furmanek (State College, Pa.) was untested in the match and posted her fifth shutout of the season for the Beavers and the 26th blank sheet of her career, while Sophomore goalie Grace Ferguson (Williston, Vt.) made nine saves for Wheaton. Junior defender Maddie Hatch (Gorham, Maine) joined Miller with a defensive save for the home team.