Albertus Magnus Spoils Playoff Hopes in 2-1 Upset Over Women’s Soccer

BOSTON, Mass. - Two early first half goals by junior forward Erina Ismaili (Middlebury, Conn.)  propelled No. 6 Albertus Magnus College in a 2-1 upset over No. 3 Emmanuel College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women’s Soccer Quarterfinal action Saturday afternoon at Clemente Field.   

Albertus Magnus Spoils Playoff Hopes in 2-1 Upset Over Women’s Soccer
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October 29, 2022

THE BASICS 
No. 6 Albertus Magnus College, 2 - No. 3 Emmanuel College, 1

Records: 
Emmanuel Saints (13-3-3, 9-2-2 GNAC)
Albertus Magnus Falcons (9-5-4, 6-4-3 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Clemente Field

Date: Saturday, October 29, 2022

THE LEAD – Two early first half goals by junior forward Erina Ismaili (Middlebury, Conn.)  propelled No. 6 Albertus Magnus College in a 2-1 upset over No. 3 Emmanuel College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Soccer Quarterfinal action Saturday afternoon at Clemente Field.   

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Falcons got on the board in the fourth minute of play to take an early 1-0 lead and set the tone for a frustrating afternoon for the host Saints. Following an Emmanuel handball from 35 yards out, senior midfielder Keegan Riccio (West Haven, Conn.) took the free kick and sent a lofted ball towards the goal. With a tough sun in her eyes, EC rookie keeper Sandra Griffith (Roland, Ark.) thought the ball was going to be off frame but Riccio's strike hit the left upright of the bar and deflected back into the goal mouth where Ismaili sent home her seventh goal of the year to put the visitors on top.
  • The Saints responded just seven minutes later, netting the equalizer in the 11th minute to knot the score at 1-1. Senior forward Megan McMillen (North Branford, Conn) played a well-placed cross to first year forward Sarah Dullaghan (Belmont, Mass.) in front of the Falcons goal-mouth. Dullaghan took one touch before redirecting it into the back of the net for her 13th goal of the season to make it 1-1 at 10:39 into the half.
  • Albertus answered immediately with what proved to be the game-winner just 26 seconds later to regain the lead at 2-1. Graduate student Jordan Kikosicki (East Haven, Conn.) played a through-ball to a streaking Ismaili on the right wing. The speedster got behind the Saints and deposited her second goal of the half to give the Falcons the lead for good.
  • EC first year midfielder Liz McCormick (Cumberland, R.I.) nearly tied things up just before halftime as her shot attempt from 25 yards out in front of the goal hit the crossbar before being cleared away by the Falcons back line to keep the score at 2-1 heading into halftime.
  • Despite trailing at the break, EC owned a 7-5 advantage in first-half shots.
  • With the sun in their favor in the second half, Emmanuel peppered AMC first year keeper Amy Stevens (Lincoln, R.I.) with 13 shots in the frame, putting nine on goal but Stevens was up for the task turning them all away.
  • With 29:12 to play, Stevens made a beautiful diving save to her left on a shot by EC junior forward Addie LeGault (Farmington, Conn.) that she redirected just wide enough to miss the left post and on the ensuing corner, came up with another nice stop on an attempt by first year back Annebel Balogh de Galantha (Grafton, Mass.).
  • Dullaghan had another chance to even the score with 17:07 left on a semi-breakaway but Stevens came off her line perfectly to smother a near-post shot attempt for another tough save for Albertus Magnus.
  • As time winded down, the Saints began to press forward but Stevens stayed up to task including back-to-back saves with 12:05 to play on attempts by McCormick and junior Rory Mahoney (Quincy, Mass.) with the second being from point-blank range.
  • The Falcons were able to manage the clock over the final 10 minutes of action, limiting any chance for an equalizer and holding on for the 2-1 upset road win to advance in the 2022 GNAC Women's Soccer tournament.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • Stevens ended the day with a career-high 12 saves for her ninth win of the year.
  • Griffith made two stops to wrap up her rookie campaign with a record of 2-3-3 in net.
  • The Saints move to 17-5-1 all-time vs. Albertus including a 2-2-1 mark in GNAC postseason play.
  • Emmanuel ended the day outshooting the Falcons by a 20-8 margin including a 13-3 second half differential.
  • With the win, the Falcons advance to the GNAC Semifinals for the first time since 2016.

UP NEXT

  • Albertus Magnus moves on to the Semifinal round and will take on Lasell University on Tuesday, November 1 in Newton, Mass. The Lasers held seed in the No. 7 vs. No. 2 match-up vs. Colby-Sawyer with a 4-0 victory. Earlier in the year, Lasell posted a 2-1 win vs. AMC with the help of a late goal in the 82nd minute for the difference-maker.   
  • The Saints wrap the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 13-3-3 marking the highest winning percentage (.763) since the 2007 squad went 17-3-2 (.818).