WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM SHOCKS TOP-SEEDED SUFFOLK, 3-1, IN GNAC TOURNAMENT

SOMERVILLE, Mass. - The 8th-seeded Emmanuel Women's Soccer Team pulled off an incredible 3-1 upset over the top-seeded Rams of Suffolk University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Quarterfinal match-up played at Dilboy Stadium on Halloween night. The Rams, who entered the game at 13-2-1 overall and 10-2 in conference play, were overpowered by the underdog Saints, who improved to 10-10 on the season. Emmanuel got all three of its goals from freshmen en route to the upset win. The red-hot Saints have now won seven of their last nine contests, snapping the Rams nine-game winning streak.

Emmanuel freshman Darcey Sullivan (Dalton, Mass.) got the Saints on the board ten minutes into the contest as she took a pass from sophomore Meghan Zerba (Cumberland, R.I.) to score her ninth goal of the season. Suffolk would answer in the game's 32nd minute as junior Leslie Hayden (Ross, Calif.) scored her 14th goal of the season, as she put a header in off a kick from freshman Monica Wolf (Ballston Lake, N.Y.).

It wouldn't take the Saints long to answer, as Sullivan scored what would turn out to be the game-winner just a minute later. A loose ball forced Suffolk goalkeeper Emily Joyce (Easton, Mass.) out to retrieve it, but Sullivan snuck around and kicked the loose ball up in the air which found its way into the back of the net for her second goal of the contest. The Saints carried the 2-1 edge into halftime.

Emmanuel came out in the second half controlling much of the action early on. Sullivan missed a bid for a hat trick eleven minutes into the half, as she appeared to have scored an insurance goal, but the play was waived dead by an offsides call. The Saints would eventually get that insurance goal later in the contest, when freshman Lindsey Garvey (Warwick, R.I.) scored from five yards out after taking a pass from senior Amber Di Nucci (New Bedford, Mass.).

Suffolk had plenty of opportunities in the second half outshooting the Saints, 9-4 in the final 45 minutes of action, but the veteran savvy of Emmanuel proved to be too much for the nation's fifth best offense. GNAC leading scorer Taylor Miranda (Smithtown, N.Y.) had two shots in the final fifteen minutes of the contest sail above the net.

Sophomore Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, N.Y.) made four saves in the second half to preserve the victory for the Saints. It was D'Ottavio's tenth win of the season in goal for the Saints. The sophomore had a couple of key saves in the half that included stopping a shot from 15 yards out by Wolf. Hayden had a chance to cut the lead in half with twelve minutes remaining when she went streaking down the left side of the field, but D'Ottavio came rushing out of the net to cut off her shot. Hayden would have to leave the game after with an apparent leg injury that would hamper the Suffolk attack the remaining eight minutes of the contest. Joyce made seven saves in goal for the Rams, as her record falls to 13-3-1 on the year.

The game was the first appearance for Suffolk in the postseason in the program's four-year history as a varsity sport. Emmanuel looks to reach the GNAC Finals for the fourth year in a row. The Saints were winners of the GNAC Championship in 2007 and lost in overtime in the title game in both 2008 and 2009.

Emmanuel will now advance to take on 4th-seeded Norwich University (12-7) in the GNAC semifinals on Wednesday afternoon. The Cadets downed 5th-seeded Albertus Magnus College, 5-0, in other quarterfinal action.

- Courtesy of Suffolk University Sports Information