WOMEN'S SOCCER COMES UP SHORT IN TITLE GAME REMATCH

BOSTON, Mass. - Junior goalkeeper Victoria Laroche (Hudson, N.H.) made eight saves but the Emmanuel College women's soccer team (3-5) fell just short in a 1-0 loss to Lasell College (2-2-1) on Saturday afternoon at Roberto Clemente Field. 

Junior Casey Meissner (Sandwich, Mass.) scored the only goal in the 80th minute of the rematch of the 2015 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship game to push the Lasers to victory.

The game had a quick pace and high intensity from start to finish as both teams came out focused. Lasell outshot the Saints 7-4 in the opening half and 14-7 over the course of the 90 minutes. 

The Lasers pushed the pace early and earned five corner kicks in the opening 13 minutes of play, but the Saints were able to clear the ball on each occasion and avoid trouble. 

Emmanuel sophomore Kayla Generis (Wethersfield, Conn.) had the best offensive chance of the half for the hosts just five minutes in when she broke through on a partial breakaway. Generis was tracked down by a Lasell defender who blocked her shot at the absolute last second.

Both teams earned corner kick opportunities in the opening stages in the second half, but neither were able to capitalize. It looked like sophomore Mikayla Guthrie (North Andover, Mass.) would finally break through for the Saints in the 58th minute, but her flick over Lasell junior goalkeeper Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.) rung off the crossbar and the game stayed scoreless.

In the 80th minute, sophomore Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.) found herself on a 2-on-1 with Meissner to her left. The sophomore slid the ball over to her teammate and Meissner placed the ball perfectly past Laroche for the go-ahead and eventually game-winning goal.

The Saints kept Lasell senior Megan Cullen (Amesbury, Mass.) in check as the reigning GNAC Player of the Year was limited to two shots on goal in the win.

LaClair made two saves in the victory, collecting her first clean sheet of the season.

The Lasers return to the pitch on Tuesday as they travel to Wellesley for a 4:00 p.m. tilt, while the Saints host UMass-Boston at 7:00 p.m. that evening.