STRONG SECOND HALF SENDS EMMANUEL INTO GNAC SEMIFINALS
Nov. 2, 2008
BOSTON, Mass. - The 3rd-seeded Emmanuel College Saints (12-7) scored three second half goals en route to a 3-1 victory over the 6th-seeded Lasers of Lasell College (10-5-2) in the quarterfinal round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer tournament on Sunday afternoon. The Saints fought back from a 1-0 halftime deficit to pick up the win in front of a standing room only crowd at the Winsor School soccer field.
Despite outshooting the Lasers, 10-3, in the opening half of play, it was Emmanuel who trailed 1-0 after the first 45 minutes. Lasell's senior goalkeeper Jamie Remmers (West Islip, NY) played standout soccer, stopping all 10 of the Saints' first-half shots on goal. Remmers also stopped a first-half penalty kick attempt by Emmanuel's junior midfielder Kate McKenna (Holyoke, MA), who until today had been perfect on PKs throughout her collegiate career.
Lasell notched its lone goal of the game in the 20th minute, when junior midfielder Alyssa Ferreri (Southbury, CT) headed in a long cross from junior midfielder Ashley Lambert (Salem, MA), giving the Lasers a 1-0 advantage. Lasell was able to hold on to the edge for the remainder of the first half and the first 10 minutes of the second stanza.
It was in the 55th minute, that Emmanuel tied the game. McKenna drove the ball down the right side and crossed it from the endline to sophomore forward Amber Di Nucci (Assonet, MA), who one-timed it into the back of the net. The Saints nailed the game-winner just six minutes later, when junior midfielder Meghan Long (Smithfield, RI) drilled a deep direct free kick past Remmers, putting the Saints up 2-1.
Emmanuel tacked on an insurance goal at 78:29, when Long bent a corner kick from the right side around Remmers and into the back of the net. The Saints owned a 3-1 advantage in corner kick opportunities on the day. Emmanuel out-shot Lasell, 21-7, for the game.
Remmers finished out the match with an incredible 14 saves. Emmanuel's senior keeper Laureyn Furtney (Barrington, NH) picked up her 12th win of the season, as she stopped three Laser shots on goal.
In other GNAC quarterfinal action, the 7th-seeded Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University upset the host 2nd-seeded Monks of Saint Joseph's College, giving Emmanuel the opportunity to host the semifinals as the three seed. The Saints will now host Johnson & Wales on Wednesday night (11/5) at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville. The game is scheduled to begin at 7pm.