WLAX: JWU Earns GNAC Championship Shot After Semifinal Upset at Lasell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | BRACKET

#3 JOHNSON & WALES 15, #2 LASELL 13

NEWTON, Mass. - The women's lacrosse team avenged a regular season loss at Lasell on March 31 with a 15-13 victory in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference semifinal round on Wednesday evening. The Wildcats now advance to the GNAC Championship for the fifth consecutive season, although they will be on the road for a championship match for the first time in program history.

JWU will play in the GNAC Championship on Saturday at 3PM against top-seeded Emmanuel College after the Saints defeated fifth-seeded Anna Maria by a 20-1 final score on Wednesday night in Boston. 

Records:
JWU: 6-3
Lasell: 6-2

Statistics:

Dani Lydecker: 6 G, 2 A
Marley Medina: 2 G, 1 A
Kayla Datys: 1 G, 3 A

Of Note:
The two squads traded tallies early in the opening half with Dani Lydecker connecting for her fourth goal of the game with 9:18 remaining in the first half to give the Wildcats a 5-4 edge. Lasell tied things up a minute later and buried two of the next three goals to take the 7-6 lead at halftime.

Senior Reagan Wildman tied the game at seven to begin the second half but Lasell grabbed two right back and took their last lead of the game with 22:43 remaining in regulation. A flurry of five goals found the back of the net for JWU in the next ten minutes that pushed JWU in front with a 12-9 lead. It only took five minutes for the Lasers to shoot themselves back within one goal, 13-12, but senior Marley Medina scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal before Lydecker sealed the deal with goal number six on the night. The Wildcats would surrender a goal late but would go on to win 15-13 to advnace in the GNAC tournament.  

Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications

#1 EMMANUEL 20, #5 ANNA MARIA 1

THE BASICS 

Score:             
Anna Maria College, 1; Emmanuel College, 20
Records:         
Emmanuel College Saints (8-0)
Anna Maria College AmCats (1-5)
Location:         
Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field
Date:               
Wednesday, April 28, 2021

THE LEAD:  Senior Emily Saef (Moultonborough, N.H.), found the back of the net seven times while securing a program single-game record 17 draw controls to launch the Emmanuel College women's lacrosse team past Anna Maria, 20-1, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Semifinal at Roberto Clemente Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• Emmanuel jumped ahead quickly, scoring the first eight goals, 8-0, as Saef put four on the board, three of which came consecutively, while junior Chandra Franca (Woburn, Mass.) added an additional two goals and assisted on another with 17:23 left in the half.
• The AmCats were able to score their only goal of the evening with 17:23 left in the half on an unassisted goal by junior midfielder Ashley Rufo (Pittsfield, Mass.).
• The Saints went on to score another six goals to close out the half, two coming from both Franca and Saef, while junior Jessica Borduas (Woodbury, Conn.) and senior Elizabeth Fortier (Newburyport, Mass.) both tacked on one a piece to close out the first, 14-1.
• The second half was controlled by Emmanuel, putting an additional six goals on the board to push the Saints to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship, 20-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Saef finished with a game and career-high seven goals on ten shots while Franca finished with six points on five goals and one assist.
• Fortier scored four goals in the victory while sophomore Megan Steele (Auburn, Maine) added another two scores of her own.
• EC junior goalie Emma Crowley (Peterborough, N.H.) made three saves to earn the win while freshman Sarah Burt (Plymouth, Mass.) suffered the loss to fall to 0-3 on the year.

UP NEXT

• The Saints will now host the Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's lacrosse championship on Saturday, May 1^st at 3:00 PM versus No. 3 Johnson & Wales University at Roberto Clemente Field. Emmanuel topped the Wildcats earlier this season in a tight 15-13 contest on March 27 in Boston.

Courtesy of Emmanuel Athletics Communications