WOMEN'S SOCCER: GNAC Tournament Semifinal Summary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Courtesy of Lasell Athletics Communications

NEWTON, Mass. – Two first half goals were the difference as the two seed Lasell University Lasers women's soccer team defeated the three seed Saint Joseph's College Monks, 2-0, Wednesday in the Great Northeast Athletic Confence (GNAC) semifinal at Taylor Field.

This marked the second matchup of the year between the Lasers and the Monks with Lasell winning the first one, 1-0, in double overtime on October 2nd in Standish, Maine.

Lasell came out of the gates firing holding much of the ball and playing the majority of the first ten minutes in the Monks defensive half of the field. The continued pressure on the back finally paid off for the Lasers in the 17th minute when junior Bobbi O'Guin (Newton, Mass.) corralled a loose ball in the box and passed it across the face of goal for freshman Alyssa DeOliveira (East Providence, R.I.) for the early lead.

Junior Alexys Suojanen (Windsor Locks, Conn.) stood over a free kick in the 35th minute following a foul on the Monks. From the left side and about 35 yards out she delivered a perfect strike sailing over senior Adia Grogan (Kennebunk, Maine) and into the right-side netting.

Both teams played at a stalemate in the second half with the Lasers playing much more defensive and the Monks unable to break through the Laser defense. The second half saw the Monks and Lasers even on shots, when in the first half the Lasers had an eleven-shot advantage outshooting the Monks 13-2.

Senior Angela Sanzari (North Haven, Conn.) was solid in net for the Lasers making three saves in route to the win. Grogan made eight saves to keep Saint Joseph's in the game until the end.

The Lasers will be back in action on Saturday, November 6, for the GNAC championship where they will face either top seeded Johnson & Wales or fourth seed University of Saint Joseph. The venue and time for the championship game is yet to be decided.

Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications

PROVIDENCE – The Johnson & Wales Women's Soccer team defeated the University of St. Joseph (CT) on Wednesday evening 3-0, advancing to the Great northeast Athletic Conference Championship game.

The first half ended scoreless with the Wildcats controlling the proceedings.  With just under five minutes five in the first frame, JWU found the opening goal through Jordan Restivo (Utica, N.Y.), but it was called back for a foul in the build-up.  The Wildcats kept the pressure up the remained of the first half, taking 10 shots to the Blue Jays zero, but were unable to find the back of the net.

The deadlock was broken four minutes into the second half when Emily DeRoehn (Old Lyme, Conn.) latched onto a corner kick from Restivo, heading into the back of the net to give JWU a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats added two more goals in quick succession to take a three-goal lead.  The first goal came when Trina Capezza (Coventry, R.I.) pounced on a loose ball near the Blue Jay box.  Capezza fired a cross that took a deflection on the way through, but Restivo headed into the back of the net for the second goal.

The third goal came just a minute later when Hayley Viebrock (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) was through on new and forced the goalkeeper into a save.  Angelina Carrion (Hackensack, N.J.) passed the rebound back into Viebrock, who slotted home to extend the JWU advantage.

Keeping the Blue Jays at bay, the Wildcats earned the victory and will host the GNAC Championship on Saturday, November 6^th with a time TBA.