MEN’S SOCCER NOTCHES PROGRAM’S FIRST-EVER WIN OVER LASELL

BOSTON, Mass. – Junior forward Stefano Sainato (Albany, N.Y.) scored in the 83rd minute to lift the Emmanuel Men's Soccer Team to a 1-0 victory over Lasell College on Tuesday night at Roberto Clemente Field.  The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win for the Saints marked the first time Emmanuel has ever beaten Lasell, in the series dating back to 2006.

Lasell had previously gone 7-0-1 against the Blue & Gold.  With Tuesday night's win, Emmanuel improves to 4-6-2 on the season and an even 3-3 in GNAC play. The Lasers drop to just under .500 at 6-7 overall and also stand even at 3-3 in the league.

A scoreless first half saw the two teams with equal shooting opportunities, firing off five shots apiece.  EC's junior midfielder David Field (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) got a great look with 16 minutes remaining in the half.  After dodging a Lasell defender on the break, Field's shot was denied by Lasell keeper Miguel Colmenares (Caracas, Venezuela).  With 11 minutes left in the half, the Saints had a goal called back on an off-sides call and the two teams took the 0-0 game into the break.

The Saints would dominate the offense for much of the second half, taking eight shots to just two by the Lasers.  Stefano Gambino (Lexington, Mass.) drilled a shot off the crossbar in the 66th minute.  Senior forward James Carroll (Guilford, Conn.) then ripped a point blank shot at Colmenares with 15 minutes remaining, but the junior goalie made a diving stop to keep the score knotted at zero.

The two squads battled for nearly 83 minutes with scoreless action, before Sainato's heroics.  The game's lone goal came at 82:58, when Field broke free in the midfield and carried the ball toward the Laser net.  He managed to flick a forward pass to Sainato, who chipped his shot over Colmenares for the game-winner.  The goal was Sainato's second of the season and the eighth in his collegiate career.  Field picked up the assist on the play.

The Lasers finished the night with seven total shots, three coming on goal.  Junior forward Conor Fitzgerald (Marshfield, Mass.) tallied three of the Lasell shots on the night. Colmenares played the complete game in net, making four saves, but dropping to 6-7 on the season with the loss.

Senior keeper Garrett Charette (West Springfield, Mass.) earned the win in goal for EC, making saves on all three Lasers' shots-on-goal.  This was Charette's 4th win of the season and his 12th career shutout.

The Saints are slated to play again this coming Thursday, October 16th, when they travel to Worcester, Mass. for a 6:00 PM non-conference game at Clark University.   The Lasers will play their senior day game this coming Saturday, when they host the Mustangs of Mount Ida College in a noontime start.