WOMEN’S SOCCER SET TO HOST SIMMONS IN GNAC TOURNEY QUARTERFINALS

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College women's soccer team is set to host Simmons College in the 2017 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Quarterfinals this Saturday, October 28 with kickoff slotted for 1:00 PM at Roberto Clemente Field. The Saints earn the No. 3 seed with an 8-2-1 mark in GNAC play while the Sharks (6-4-1 GNAC) boast the No. 6 seed in the eight-team field.

This marks Emmanuel's sixth straight appearance in the GNAC tournament and 19th all-time, while the Sharks have been to the postseason for seven consecutive seasons and 21 times total. The Saints are 17-15-2 all-time in the GNAC tournament, most recently making a run to the championship game in both the 2014 and 2015 playoffs. Simmons owns an 18-15-4 GNAC tournament mark with championships in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2009.

The Saints and Sharks have met five times in the GNAC tournament with Simmons hold the playoff series lead with a 3-2 record over Emmanuel.  Simmons captured the first playoff meeting in 1997 by a 2-1 score in the GNAC Semifinals. Emmanuel posted a 1-0 win in both the 2002 Quarterfinals and 2003 Semifinals but the Sharks have bested their neighbors in the last two postseason meetings capturing a 2-1 win in the 2006 Quarters as well as a 2-1 win in the 2009 GNAC Championship game. Simmons owns the all-time series advantage with a 16-9-1 record against Emmanuel with the only tie coming earlier this season in a 1-1 draw on Sept. 16. Of the 26 meetings, 10 have gone into overtime.

In their meeting earlier this season, both teams scored their goals early in a half. The Sharks took a 1-0 lead just 3:06 into the match on a tally by Ciara Forde (Quincy, Mass.) while Emmanuel scored 39 seconds into the second half to even the score at 1-1 on a marker by junior forward Mikayla Guthrie (North Andover, Mass.). The Saints ended up outshooting the Sharks by a 19-12 margin in a very even affair.

Emmanuel junior forward Kayla Generis (Wethersfield, Conn.) leads Emmanuel with 20 points on seven goals and six assists while sophomore midfielder Abba McKenelley (Middleton, Mass.) is next in points with 16 on seven goals and two helpers. Guthrie has been sidelined the past two weeks with a broken rib and ranks third in points with 14 on six goals and two assists while sophomore midfielder Natalie Dash (East Hampton, Conn.) rounds out the Saints with double-figure points with 11 on four goals and three assists.
The Sharks are led by the big three of juniors Mikayla Elliott (Lowell, Mass.), Forde and senior Kashka Gammon (Nashua, N.H.). The trio has combined for 68 total points with Elliott leading the way with 24 points on nine goals and six assists. Forde and Gammon each garner 22 points apiece while Gabrielle Klane (Franklin, Mass.) rounds out the Sharks players with double-digit points with 11 on four goals and three assists.

In net, Emmanuel is led by sophomore keeper Alexis Gawron (South Hadley, Mass.) who enters the playoffs with a 7-5 record with three shutouts, a 1.68 goals against average as well as a .741 save percentage. Simmons will look to senior Casey Halle (Watertown) who owns a 9-6-2 record between the pipes on a .760 save percentage and 1.56 goals against average.

The winner of Saturday's quarterfinal will take on the winner of the No. 7 Albertus Magnus College vs. No. 2 Johnson & Wales University contest on Tuesday, October 31 at the site of the higher seed.