WOMEN'S SOCCER STORMS INTO GNAC FINALS WITH 3-0 SHUTOUT OF JWU
Nov. 5, 2008
SOMERVILLE, Mass. - Three goals in the opening twenty-four minutes of play propelled the Emmanuel Women's Soccer Team to a 3-0 shutout of Johnson & Wales University in the semifinals of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament. The 3rd-seeded Saints (13-7) will now advance to the GNAC Championship, with hopes of winning their second-straight conference title. The 7th-seeded Wildcats wrap up their season at 10-9-2 overall.
The Saints jumped on the Wildcats in the early going with freshman forward Melanie Hoffman (Topsham, Maine) scoring her first of a pair of goals on the night at 6:45. Hoffman was assisted by junior midfielder Kate McKenna (Holyoke, Mass.), who notched two assists in the win. Emmanuel applied pressure early and outshot JWU, 8-3 in the opening half.
Emmanuel's second goal of the night came in the twenty-third minute, when junior midfielder Meghan Long (Smithfield, R.I.) connected on her second-straight direct free kick, putting the Saints up, 2-0. Emmanuel struck again just 73 seconds later, sealing the win with the Saints' third goal of the night. Sophomore forward Amber Di Nucci (Assonet, Mass.) led McKenna down the left side of the field, who beat the Wildcat defense and fed Hoffman for her second goal of the game.
Johnson & Wales put together a strong second half, holding the Saints scoreless and out-shooting Emmanuel, 7-5. However, the three goal deficit was too much for the Wildcats to overcome. JWU's sophomore keeper Kory Blythe (Fall River, Mass.) stopped nine of Emmanuel's twelve shots on goal. Emmanuel's senior goalie Laureyn Furtney (Barrington, N.H.) made 3 saves, picking up her fifth shutout of the season for the Saints.
The Saints will play in the GNAC Championship game on Saturday afternoon (11/8). Emmanuel will travel to Northfield, Vt. To take on the top-seeded Cadets of Norwich University in a 1pm start. The winner of Saturday's game will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.