LASERS BLANK WOMEN'S SOCCER

NEWTON, Mass.  – Junior Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.) scored three goals in the first 15 minutes to propel the Lasell women's soccer team over Emmanuel College 6-0 Wednesday afternoon at Taylor Field.

The win boosts Lasell to 6-1 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play and 6-4 overall, while the Saints drop to 3-3-1 in the GNAC and 5-6-1 this season.

Zdanek secured the hat trick in just an 11-minute span, igniting the surge at 3:14 with a breakaway goal to the bottom right corner. Eight minutes later, classmate Morgan Pinksten (Pelham, N.H.) scored her third goal of the season, converting on a feed from Zdanek for the 2-0 bump.

The Lasers continued to press offensively in Emmanuel's back third, and outshot the visitors 13-3 in the first half alone. Zdanek scored back-to-back goals over the course of two minutes, one unassisted, and one from Pinksten.

Caitlin Rotonnelli (Meredith, N.H.) scored the final goal of the half at 26:08, as she beat an Emmanuel defender to the right side, and placed her shot far post. Five minutes into the second half, Pinksten gave the Lasers' their sixth marker with her second of the game, finishing a feed to the middle from Melissa Vasquez (Pawtucket, R.I.).

The Saints had their best scoring opportunity in the dwindling moments of the game, as Natalie Dash (East Hampton, Conn.) took a promising bid on net, but freshman keeper Nicole Power (Norwood, Mass.) was there to make the save. In the ensuing chaos inside the box, Saints' sophomore Olivia Collins (Douglas, Mass.) took a shot out of the air, but a stretching Power denied the visitors' attempt, securing Lasell's clean sheet victory.

Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.) earned the win in net with three saves in 66 minutes of play and improves to 6-1 this season. Hayden Wheeler played 16:30 of relief, before Power recorded two saves in seven minutes of action. Alexis Gawron (South Hadley, Mass.) suffered the loss despite eight saves in the cage for Emmanuel, one away from her season-high.

The Lasers have the weekend off from competition, and will return to GNAC action on Wednesday, October 11 at Mount Ida College. The Saints will host the Mustangs of Mount Ida at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 7 for their next contest.

*Release courtesy of Lasell College Athletic Communications