EARLY SECOND HALF GOAL PUSHES LASERS PAST SAINTS IN GNAC OPENER

BOSTON, Mass. – Rookie forward Conor Fitzgerald (Marshfield, Mass.) came off the bench to net two goals for Lasell College, lifting the Lasers Men's Soccer Team over Emmanuel College, 2-1.  The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GAC) opening game was played on Roberto Clemente Field this Saturday afternoon.  With the win, Lasell remains unbeaten at 3-0, while Emmanuel falls to 1-1-1 on the season.

Emmanuel struck first with a goal in the game's 32nd minute.  Sophomore forward James Carroll (Guilford, Conn.) got his head on a well-played pass by freshman Cian O'Sullivan (Agawam, Mass.) for his first goal of the season and the Saints took a 1-0 lead.

Emmanuel held off the charge by the Lasers for the ensuing twelve minutes, but Lasell netted the equalizer with just over a minute to play before halftime.  Fitzgerald's first collegiate goal came at 43:46 with an assist from junior midfielder Jared Lewis (Haverhill, Mass.) and the game was knotted at 1-1.

An evenly-played first half featured the visitors out-shooting the Saints, 7-6, and Emmanuel owning a 4-1 lead in corner kick opportunities.

After the break, scoreless play lasted just four minutes into the second frame.  The go-ahead goal for the Lasers came at 49:17, when Fitzgerald chased a long ball down the field, which was played back off the foot of Emmanuel's sophomore keeper Garrett Charette (West Springfield, Mass.).  Fitzgerald took the deflection and fired a shot down the right side past Charette for what would hold up as the game-winner in the 2-1 defeat.

The Lasers, who held a 7-2 margin in second-half shots, had another great scoring opportunity with thirty-two minutes left in the game.  Senior midfielder Evan Gaccione (Westerly, R.I.) took a cross and drilled a point-blank bicycle kick, which fired into the netting just outside the left post.

Freshman goalkeeper Miguel Colmenares (Caracas, Venezuala) earned the win in net for the Lasers, stopping 4 of the Saints' shots on goal, and improving to 3-0 in his collegiate career.  Charette took the loss for Emmanuel, also making 4 saves in the effort.

The Saints will play at home again this Tuesday night, September 11th, when they host the Nighthawks of Newbury College in a 7:00 PM start.  Lasell travels to Gordon College for a 4:00 PM start on September 12th.