WOMEN’S SOCCER CLINCHES HOME PLAYOFF GAME WIN 2-0 WIN OVER SIMMONS

THE BASICS 

Scores:    Emmanuel College, 2; Simmons University, 0
Records:  Emmanuel College Saints (12-5, 8-3 GNAC)
               Simmons University Sharks (8-7-1, 6-5-1 GNAC)
Location:  Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field
Date:     Saturday, October 20, 2018

THE LEAD: The Emmanuel College women's soccer team used a goal in each half to pick up a 2-0 Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory over Simmons University at Roberto Clemente Field on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Saints clinch a Quarterfinal home game in next week's GNAC postseason tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• The Saints and Sharks traded shots during the first few minutes of play as EC junior back Kaylin Deschenes (Lynn, Mass.) and Simmons midfielder Ciara Forde (Quincy, Mass.) each tested the opposing keeper with shots on frame.
• Deschenes had the first good look of the match with a header off an Emmanuel corner kick that hit the right post during the 6^th minute of play.
• Emmanuel found the back of the net at the 18:00 minute mark to take a 1-0 lead as junior forward Natalie Dash (East Hampton, Conn.) threaded a well-placed through ball to the feet of junior forward Kayla Generis (Wethersfield, Conn.) who took two touches before finishing the semi-breakaway with her ninth goal of the year.
• The Sharks had a solid chance to tie the game in the 38^th minute on a hard strike by Mikayla Elliot (Lowell, Mass.) but EC junior keeper Lexi Gawron (South Hadley, Mass.) made the save to preserve the one-goal lead heading into halftime.
• The scored remained at 1-0 until the 78^th minute when Emmanuel took advantage on a foul in the Sharks defensive third of the pitch. On the ensuing direct-kick, freshman back Kennedy Davingnon (Woodstock, Conn.) found the head of Deschenes who netted her fifth goal of the campaign to bump the lead to 2-0 with just 12 minutes to play.
• The host's defensive unit made the score hold up, not allowing a shot down the stretch to preserve the home GNAC victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Emmanuel owned an 11-2 advantage on shots as well as a 7-2 edge in corner kicks in the win.
• Gawron finished the day with two saves to improve to 11-4 on the year in net, notching her third consecutive and sixth shutout on the year.
• Simmons senior goalie Lauren Williams (Bowdoinham, Maine) made seven stops in net and is now 7-7-1 on the year.
• The shutout for the Saints was their ninth of the year, tying the single-season program record which has been accomplished twice before in both 2015 and 2003.
• Both squads have secured spots in next week's GNAC tournament game. The Saints will earn the No. 4 seed and host No. 5 Regis while Simmons will finish in the No. 7 spot and take on Saint Joseph's College (ME) a week from today on Saturday, October 27^th.

UP NEXT

• EC will close out the regular season at home on Wednesday, October 24^th at 7:00 PM in a GNAC matchup against Lasell College.
• The Sharks have completed their regular GNAC season, but will close out their non-conference season on Tuesday, October 23^rd at 7:00PM at home against Brandeis University.