Lasell Women's Soccer Lays Claim to Seventh Straight GNAC Championship
Lasell overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to defeat Albertus Magnus, 2-1, on Saturday in the GNAC Championship contest at Newton's Taylor Field.
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Courtesy of Lasell Athletics Communications
Sophomore Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.) sent the ball ahead to Cullen from the sideline, but the senior did the rest, beating a defender and Albertus goalkeeper Lexie Fenn (Oakville, Conn.) before sliding her 21st goal of the season home.
The Lasers improve to 18-2-1 on the season with the win, just their third by a single goal this season. Lasell now awaits its NCAA Tournament fate, which will be revealed during an NCAA.com Selection Show on Monday, November 7 at 1:30 p.m.
The Falcons, who won two one-goal decisions in the first two rounds of postseason play to advance to their first-ever GNAC title game, finish the season at 11-8-1.
Cullen was one of five Lasell players named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team, joining Zdanek, senior and Most Outstanding Player Mack Kingman (East Bridgewater, Mass.), junior goalkeeper Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.), and junior Casey Meissner(Sandwich, Mass.).
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute as sophomore Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.) set junior Alexya Alves (Naugatuck, Conn.) up for a breakaway. LaClair dove for the shot, but Alves' sixth goal of the season beat her to the near post.
Lasell held a 9-4 shot advantage in the opening half, while earning two corner kicks. Fenn stopped all six shots on goal she faced through 45 minutes to keep the Falcons ahead.
Playing from behind was a rarity for the Lasers this season, but a two-goal comeback in less than a 20-minute span in the second half allowed Lasell's conference-record championship run to continue for another year.
Sophomore Sabrina Morais (Arlington, Mass.) tied the game in the 70th minute, scoring her fourth goal of the season off a scramble at the front of the net. Morais finished the play after freshman Caitlin Rottonnelli's (East Haven, Conn.) header in the box nearly grazed the crossbar before coming back into play.
Lasell generated three more corner kicks and a 14-3 shot advantage in the second half, winning those statistical margins by 27-7 and 5-1 margins, respectively.
However, it was Cullen's individual effort that made the difference through it all. Cullen's 21 goals are tied for the GNAC lead, and seven of them have been game-winning tallies.
Sophomore Erica Badger (Scituate, Mass.) led Lasell with seven shots, including three on goal.
LaClair finished her 17th victory of the season with three saves, two of which came in the first half. The junior goalkeeper ranks second in the GNAC with a 0.62 goals-against average and has now held opponents to a single goal or less in four consecutive contests.
On the Albertus side, Fenn concludes her sophomore season with a 9-8-1 record. She finished Saturday with 12 saves. Alves scored the Falcons' only goal and recorded two of the team's four shots on goal.
GNAC All-Tournament Team
Megan Cullen, Lasell
Casey Meissner, Lasell
Sarah LaClair, Lasell
Carly Zdanek, Lasell
Mack Kingman, Lasell -- Most Outstanding Player
Danielle Polvan, Albertus Magnus
Taylor Rotella, Albertus Magnus
Alexya Alves, Albertus Magnus
Haley DaGraca, St. Joseph's (Maine)
Emily DeLuca, St. Joseph's (Maine)
Jennifer Martin, Suffolk
Shannon Simmons, Suffolk
Lasell College, your #TheGNAC Women's Soccer Champions for the 7th time in as many years! @LasellAthletics @lasellcollege @laselladmission pic.twitter.com/BdEq8YbPth
— #TheGNAC (@TheGNAC) November 5, 2016
