LAROCHE'S CLEAN SHEET LIFTS SAINTS PAST FALCONS

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College women's soccer team knocked off Fitchburg State at Clemente Field on Tuesday night, posting a 3-0 win over the visiting Falcons.

Senior Maggie Carey (Swampscott, Mass.), sophomore Kayla Generis (Wethersfield, Conn.) and freshman Kaylin Deschenes (Lynn, Mass.) each scored for the Saints, who improved to 2-4 on the young season. The Falcons fell to 2-2 on the year with the loss.

Generis wasted little time putting the Saints on the board, taking a lobbed feed from senior Savannah Lundwall (Fiskdale, Mass.) in the seventh minute and chipping it over the keeper. The goal was the third of the season for Generis, giving her seven points in six games. Lundwall picked up her first point of the season with the helper.

Deschenes doubled the lead just 13 minutes later, scoring her first collegiate goal on a play nearly identical to Generis'. Junior Emily David (Uniondale, N.Y.) played a ball from close to midfield to send the freshman in alone with freshman goalkeeper Alexandra Foster (Leominster, Mass.). Deschenes was able to pop the ball over the keeper's outstretched arms and into the back of the net for the goal.

The Falcons had two prime opportunities in the first 45, freshman Gabriella Foster (Leominster, Mass.) put one ball off the goalpost and another attack forced Saints junior goalkeeper Victoria LaRoche (Hudson, N.H.) to slide at the top of the box to clear the ball.

The first 40 minutes of the second half featured primarily midfield play with very little offense from either side.

Fitchburg State had a 35-yard free kick with 18 minutes remaining, but Laroche made easy work of the driven ball and avoided danger.

Carey found her way onto the scoresheet in the 86^th minute, as freshman Olivia Collins (Douglas, Mass.) sent the ball into the box and the senior captain chipped it into the left side of the goal. Collins tallied the first point of her collegiate career with the assist.

Laroche (2-4) earned her first clean sheet of the 2016 season, making one save. Foster made seven saves in the loss, dropping to an even 2-2 on the year.

The Saints return to Clemente Field on Thursday, September 15, as they host Curry College at 7:00 p.m. Fitchburg State will travel to Rivier to battle the Raiders on the same evening.