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Nov 6, 2009

2009 GNAC Women’s Soccer Championship Preview

By Natalie West

Communications and Special Events Specialist

The #2 seeded Emmanuel College Saints will take on #5 seeded Simmons College Sharks tomorrow, Saturday Nov. 7th at 12:30pm at the Saints’ Roberto Clemente Field.

#2 Seed Emmanuel College (14-5-1, GNAC 9-2-1) cruised past 7th seeded Albertus Magnus in the quarterfinal game of the GNAC tournament. Senior midfielder Kate McKenna (Holyoke, Mass.), who has been three-time GNAC Player of the Week this season, led the Saints with two goals. Amber Di Nucci (Assonet, Mass.) set up Melanie Hoffman (Topsham, M.E.) who drilled a shot into the net for an early lead over the Falcons. Next, Meghan Long (Smithfield, R.I.) found McKenna in a corner kick, which she headed in for her first goal of the game, keeping the lead at 2-0. Soon after, McKenna was fouled in the box that resulted in a penalty shot, which she placed in the left corner of the net well out of the goalie’s hands. The Saints’ final goal came when freshman forward, Elizabeth Blasser (Pembroke, Mass.) had a sudden breakaway and found Di Nucci.

In their semifinal game the Saints’ faced #6 St. Joseph’s College of Conn., Wednesday night on their home turf in an overwhelming 1-0 victory. Throughout the first half of play, each team only had three shots. Except mid-way through the half, sophomore Logan Carr (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) kicked a long ball to the center of the field, where Blasser one touched it to Amber Di Nucci. Di Nucci dodged a few defenders and netted a goal.

#5 Seed Simmons College (11-5-3, GNAC 8-2-3) has upset two teams during the GNAC playoffs. Entering their journey into the first round they faced #4 Emerson College. As the underdogs, they were victorious and won by two goals scored by freshman Justine Beaucamp (Exeter, N.H.) and tremendous defensive play.

Next on the road was top ranked St. Joe’s of Maine. During the regular season, the game resulted in a heart-wrenching tie in the last minutes. However, this time out the Sharks defeated the Monks Wednesday to advance to the Championship. The lone goal was scored from sophomore Anna Bolton (Amherst, N.H.) after the first ten minutes of play. A cross-pass from junior Lindsey Butler (South Weymouth, Mass.) found Bolton at the top of the box, who placed the ball perfectly in the right corner of the net. The Sharks held off Monks’ leading scorer Jessica Needham, with spectacular saves by senior goal keeper Rachel Elliott (Amherst, N.H.). Elliott received GNAC Goalie of the Week earlier in the season for stellar play and two conference shutouts.

When the Sharks and the Saints battled in the regular season the Saints’ took a 4-0 victory. Brittany Ridge led Emmanuel with two goals during the game, Elizabeth Blasser added one, and Kate McKenna, another goal for the Saints. The Saints victory would not have been possible without the work of Amber Di Nucci who recorded a remarkable three assists in the matchup. Emmanuel’s defense kept off Simmons, and allowed them only seven shots and only 5 shots on goal. Sharks senior goalkeeper, Rachel Elliott had 13 saves on the day with only four goals allowed.

 

* all statistics through Nov. 2, 2009





GNAC All
St. Joseph's (Me.) 7-2 14-8-1
Lasell 6-1-2 10-6-3
Suffolk 5-3-2 8-6-2
Norwich 5-3-1 10-8-2
Albertus Magnus 5-4 10-7-1
Emerson 6-4 12-8
Mount Ida 4-5 5-12
Johnson & Wales 2-7 2-17
Rivier 2-7 4-13
Emmanuel 1-7-1 3-13-1
GNAC All
St. Joseph's (Me.) 9-1-2 12-6-2
Emmanuel 9-2-1 14-7-1
Lasell 8-2-2 9-6-2
Emerson 8-3-1 10-8-1
Simmons 7-2-3 12-6-3
St. Joseph (Conn.) 7-3-2 11-6-3
Albertus Magnus 5-4-3 9-6-3
Norwich 5-6-1 8-10-1
Johnson & Wales 4-6-2 7-9-2
Mount Ida 2-8-2 4-9-3
Suffolk 1-8-3 4-8-3
Rivier 1-9-2 5-11-2
Pine Manor 0-12 4-12-1
GNAC All
Emerson 12-0 30-7
Johnson & Wales 11-1 23-16
Emmanuel 11-2 17-13
Rivier 9-3 21-13
Mount Ida 8-4 17-11
Simmons 7-6 13-16
Norwich 6-6 17-12
Lasell 5-7 10-23
St. Joseph's (Me.) 4-8 16-17
Suffolk 3-9 7-18
St. Joseph (Conn.) 2-10 11-15
Albertus Magnus 1-11 2-16
Pine Manor 0-12 1-21
GNAC All
Simmons 10-0 12-6
Suffolk 7-3 9-5
Emerson 6-3 8-3
Johnson & Wales 5-3 6-7
Emmanuel 5-4 11-5
St. Joseph (Conn.) 2-5 5-11
Mount Ida 2-6 2-7
Pine Manor 0-6 0-8
Albertus Magnus 0-7 0-13
GNAC All
Albertus Magnus 0-0 1-0
Mount Ida 0-0 1-0
St. Joseph's (Me.) 0-0 1-0
Suffolk 0-0 3-1
Norwich 0-0 2-1
Emerson 0-0 1-1
Rivier 0-0 1-1
Lasell 0-0 1-2
Emmanuel 0-0 0-1
Johnson & Wales 0-0 0-4
GNAC All
Emmanuel 0-0 3-0
Norwich 0-0 2-1
Rivier 0-0 2-1
St. Joseph (Conn.) 0-0 2-1
Emerson 0-0 1-1
Simmons 0-0 1-1
Johnson & Wales 0-0 1-2
Mount Ida 0-0 1-2
St. Joseph's (Me.) 0-0 1-2
Suffolk 0-0 1-2
Albertus Magnus 0-0 1-3
Lasell 0-0 0-3
Pine Manor 0-0 0-3
GNAC All
Rivier 12-0 33-2
Lasell 9-3 20-10
Emmanuel 9-3 19-13
Johnson & Wales 6-6 7-15
Mount Ida 4-8 8-18
Emerson 2-10 4-14
Albertus Magnus 0-12 1-14
GNAC All
Suffolk 12-3 30-11
St. Joseph's (Me.) 13-1 31-13
Albertus Magnus 10-5 15-18
Johnson & Wales 8-4 19-21
Emerson 6-7 13-15
Lasell 5-9 10-24
Norwich 2-12 3-28-1
Rivier 0-14 0-21
GNAC All
Emerson 22-3 33-11
St. Joseph's (Me.) 19-6 29-14
Suffolk 17-7 22-18
Pine Manor 19-10 21-20
Norwich 15-9 18-17
Lasell 14-10 21-19
Rivier 13-12 17-16
Simmons 12-14 16-23
St. Joseph (Conn.) 8-16 16-20
Emmanuel 8-16 11-23
Mount Ida 6-16 10-24
Johnson & Wales 6-18 8-31
Albertus Magnus 0-22 0-24
GNAC All
Emerson 6-0 13-3
Norwich 5-1 8-7
Lasell 4-2 9-7
St. Joseph's (Me.) 3-3 6-8
Simmons 2-4 3-8
St. Joseph (Conn.) 1-5 1-11
Pine Manor 0-6 3-8
GNAC All
Emerson 4-0 8-4
Suffolk 3-1 9-3
Norwich 2-2 6-6
Johnson & Wales 1-3 3-6
Albertus Magnus 0-4 4-5
No events upcoming.
Schedule Complete.



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