Lasell to Host Emmanuel Saturday in GNAC Women's Soccer Championship Game

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOURNAMENT BRACKET

Lasell to host Emmanuel in
Saturday's GNAC Championship contest

Top-seeded Lasell College took down fourth-seeded Albertus Magnus College, 4-0, on Wednesday afternoon in the semifinal round of the 2014 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Soccer Tournament, locking the Lasers in to host Saturday's GNAC title game.

Lasell will host second-seeded Emmanuel College at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday after Emmanuel defeated sixth-seeded Johnson & Wales, 1-0, Wednesday night in the GNAC's other semifinal tilt.

#1 LASELL 4, #4 ALBERTUS MAGNUS 0
NEWTON, Mass. - Lasell advanced to its fifth consecutive Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship game after blanking Albertus Magnus Wednesday at Taylor Field. With the win, the Lasers push their record to 16-4, while the Falcons conclude their season at 11-8-1.

Seniors Bridget Lynch (Dover, N.H.) and Kayla Lynch (Dover, N.H.) teamed up for Lasell's scoring surge. Bridget Lynch earned a hat trick on the day, while Kayla Lynch tallied one goal.

After 34 minute of scoreless play, the Lasers got on the board when the Lynch sisters gave the hosts a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, junior Sarah Jones (Duxbury, Mass.) gave Bridget Lynch a long feed through the middle of the field, allowing her to break past the Falcons' defense and net the second goal of the game.

Bridget Lynch followed up in the 60th minute when she scored off a header that was just out of range for Albertus junior keeper Maria Case (West Haven, Conn.). Sophomore Devon Day (Hartford, Vt.) earned the assist on the goal to give the Lasers a 3-0 lead. Bridget Lynch scored again with 13:14 left in regulation and is on the hunt for 100 career goals, as she enters Saturday's title game with 97.

Lasell freshman keeper Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.) had a total of six saves for the Lasers, while junior keeper Case stopped five for the Falcons.

#2 EMMANUEL 1, #6 JOHNSON & WALES 0
BOSTON, Mass. – Junior midfielder Kaitlyn Fink (Sanford, Maine) scored the game's only goal in the 77th minute to lift Emmanuel to its 1-0 victory Wednesday evening. The Saints improve to 13-9 on the year and have now won seven of eight contests, and will look to capture the program's third GNAC Championship and first since 2007on Saturday, while the loss drops the Wildcats to 10-10-2.

Emmanuel senior Kelsie Dumas (Dalton, Mass.) was able to get by the Johnson & Wales back line, carrying the ball all the way to the end line before pinging a cross into the six yard box. JWU junior goalkeeper Alex Place (East Greenwich, R.I.) tried to intercept the cross but the ball slipped through her hands, and Fink was able to win a foot race with a defender and tap home her fifth goal of the season with 13:49 left to play in regulation.

Over the final 13 minutes of action, the Wildcats were able to get deep into the Saints defensive territory but were unable to get any shots off. Their best opportunity came with under two minutes to play following an Emmanuel foul on their own side of the field. On the ensuing free kick, JWU played a ball deep in the box but the cross was cleared to prevent any scoring opportunity. 

Emmanuel owned a 9-4 shots advantage in the first half and ended the match outshooting the Wildcats 13-6. Both teams attempted five corners on the night, all coming in the first half of play. Freshman goalkeeper Victoria Laroche ended the game with just the one save to record her 11th victory, while Place made five saves in net for Johnson & Wales.

Information Provided by Lasell, Emmanuel Athletics Communications

Quarterfinals – Sun-Mon, November 2-3 | RECAP
Match 1: #1 Lasell 7, #8 Suffolk 0 | BOX
Match 2: #4 Albertus Magnus 3, #5 Saint Joseph (CT) 2 (2OT) | BOX
Match 3: #6 Johnson & Wales 0, #3 Simmons 0 (JWU advances on PKs, 3-2) | BOX
Match 4: #2 Emmanuel 2, #7 Saint Joseph's (ME) 0 | BOX

Semifinals – Wednesday, November 5 | RECAP
Match 5: #1 Lasell 4,#4 Albertus Magnus 0 | BOX
Match 6: #2 Emmanuel 1, #6 Johnson & Wales 0 | BOX

Championship – Saturday, November 8
Match 7: #2 Emmanuel at #1 Lasell - 1:00 p.m.

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