LASERS SHUT OUT SAINTS, 3-0
Sept. 27, 2011
NEWTON, Mass. - The Lasell College Women's Soccer Team's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) record remains unblemished after a 3-0 win over Emmanuel College on Tuesday afternoon. With the triumph, Lasell's overall record lands at 7-2, having won seven straight games including an undefeated 6-0 GNAC slate. Emmanuel is now 7-3 this season, and 3-3 in GNAC play.
The Lasers established control from the onset after sophomore defender Jill Greaney (Holyoke, MA) put the Lasers ahead 1-0 only 3:23 into regulation. Greaney unloaded a long ball from 45 yards out which was blocked by the Saints defense and diverted into goal to rapidly give Lasell a comfort zone.
Lasell nearly added on another goal at the 13-minute mark when Bridget Lynch (Dover, NH) carried the ball down the sideline and crossed it across the end line to Jamie Harris (Lynnfield, MA) who shot just wide of the far post. The Saints took just one shot through 15 minutes of play.
At 19:56, Jessica Taylor (Standish, ME) added an insurance goal for the Lasers after chasing down a leading pass that Jordynn Frollo (Uxbridge, MA) unleashed from midfield. Taylor got around her defender to take a cross-net shot to make it a 2-0 game.
Lasell continued to play smart soccer, using their passing game to come up with scoring opportunities, but the 2-0 lead held up through halftime. Emmanuel only got off three shots in the period, while Lasell had attempted 12.
Less than one minute into the second half, Harris, the current GNAC Player of the Week, sprinted down the middle lane of the field and scored just inside the 18 with an assist going to Mary Kate Dunphy (Wareham, MA).
Emmanuel outshot the Lasers in the second half, 11-10, and found a few close chances on the net, however Laser goalie Elizabeth Stickley (Mashpee, MA) and the Lasell defense produced her first solo shutout of the season.
In the 67th minute, Meghan Zerba (Cumberland, RI) nearly scored when she got past Stickley and drove a shot at net. Dunphy was there to collect the team save by booting the ball out of the goal box.
The balance of the time remaining ticked down without a change in score, although in the final 12 seconds Emmanuel's Amanda Roberts (Hudson, NH) drove down the right flank and sliced a shot which bounced off the post to seal the Lasers win.
Stickley was solid with five total saves while Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, NY) wrapped up the contest turning aside six Laser shots.
The Lasers remain on a 16-game unbeaten at home streak which dates back to November 1, 2009 when they dropped a 1-0 game to Saint Joseph Connecticut in the GNAC quarter finals. They have outscored their opponents 26-5 in the past seven contest, as well as outscoring their GNAC opponents 24-4 so far this season.
The Lasers take a break from games until Saturday, October 1st when they host Simmons College at Taylor Field. The league matchup will start at 1:00 p.m. Emmanuel will travel to Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday to take on the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University in a 1:00 PM start.
- Courtesy of Lasell College Sports Information