FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Both contests in the 2016 GNAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals on Thursday evening were one-goal games, as fourth-seeded Lasell College upset top-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine, 6-5, and second-seeded Johnson & Wales came from behind to top third-seeded Emmanuel College, 9-8. As a result, JWU will now host Saturday's GNAC Championship against Lasell at 1:00 PM.
#2 JWU 9, #3 EMMANUEL 8
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Freshman Allison Pazienski scored with 12 seconds left to send the Johnson & Wales University women's lacrosse team to its first-ever GNAC Tournament Championship game.
Records:
Emmanuel: 11-5
Johnson & Wales: 13-5
JWU Statistical Leaders:
Raquel Pederzani: 4 Goals
Lydia Knapp: 2 Goals
Marissa Hart: 1 Goal, 2 Assists
Of Note:
Thanks to a Lasell upset of top seed St. Joseph's (ME), the Wildcats will host the fourth-seeded Lasers in the championship game on Saturday at 1 p.m. JWU beat Lasell, 16-15, on April 23 with Pazienski (New Hyde Park, NY) scoring the winning goal that day as well.
The first of four Raquel Pederzani (Coventry, RI) goals gave Johnson & Wales a 3-2 lead 10 minutes into the game. Three-straight Kristen Tuleja goals and one from Savannah Lundwall gave the Saints a 6-3 lead at the 4:52 mark.
Emmanuel held or shared the lead until the final 12 seconds of the game. Pederzani's fourth goal at the 5:02 mark – her fifth multi-goal game in a row – tied the contest at 8-8. A turnover by EC's Amanda Cook gave JWU the ball back. Elizabeth Tonn's (Wantagh, NY) free position shot with 20 seconds went wide, but Lydia Knapp (Glens Falls, NY) came up with the rebound. Knapp got the ball to Pazienski and she beat Saints goalkeeper Lauren White for the winning goal.
The Wildcats defense stepped up in the second half, limiting Emmanuel to just six shots in the second stanza and none in the final seven minutes. JWU had a 29-17 advantage in shots and won 13-of-21 draw controls. The Saints held a slim 14-12 advantage in ground balls. White made 14 saves, compared to just five by JWU net minder Cristal Benton (Albany, NY).
Pederzani and Knapp scored two-thirds of the Wildcats' goals. Marissa Hart (Cohoes, NY) had a goal and two assists. Tuleja scored four of EC's goals with Savannah Lundwall and Sarah Higgins tallying the other two.
#4 LASELL 5, #1 SAINT JOSEPH'S MAINE 4
PORTLAND, Maine – The Lasell College women's lacrosse team is Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship bound after upsetting the top-seeded Monks 5-6 in the semifinal match Thursday evening at Deering Memorial Stadium. The Lasers improve to 12-6 on the year and will face JWU in the Championship on Saturday, while the Monks close out another strong year at 16-3.
Sophomore Taylor Yandow (Moretown, Vt.) scored her fifth hat trick in six games, with three ground balls, two draw controls, and a pair of caused turnovers. Senior Ashlee Pechulis (Westfield, Mass.) followed with a trio of her own, while classmate Bridget Munnelly (Bellingham, Mass.) owned the center circle with a game-high five draw controls.
Senior Kat Gadbois (Scarborough, Maine) kept her 13-game goal streak going with two markers to finish the year with 48 total, scoring in all but one contest for the Monks. Classmate Elizabeth Elcock (Westwood, Mass.) tossed in a pair of goals as well with leading scorer Elyse Caiazzo (Scarborough, Maine) accounting for the other lone goal in the effort.
The Monks were first to strike in the 3rd minute on an unassisted shot to net by Gadbois. Five minutes later, Yandow started her offensive surge on the 1-1 deadlock that stuck for the majority of the first half. 16 minutes of scoreless action featured four shots apiece from each side, but the playoff goalkeepers held the stalemate through the stretch. Junior keeper Bridget Delaney (Weymouth, Mass.) saved the Monks' lone shot on frame, while Michelle Cunha (Enfield, Conn.) had five stops in the segment.
Yandow converted on a free position shot with 6:06 left to go in the half, and closed out the first 30 with an unassisted goal to lead the Monks 3-1. Pechulis came in clutch in the opening minutes of the final half and connected on 2-of-2 free position shots for the 5-1 bump. With a Saint Joe's goal at 25:43 by Elcock, the Lasers continued to dominate on the field, as Pechulis scored her final goal with 16:05 to play.
Shortly after Pechulis' final marker, the Monks called for a timeout and began a late rally. Caiazzo ignited the charge on a goal from senior Meghan Williams (Greenland, N.H.), but seven minutes bled on the clock before Gadbois pulled the hosts within two, 6-4.
The Monks then fired on the counterattack from a Lasell turnover, where Elcock gave St. Joe's its brightest glimpse of life, 6-5, with 5:32 to go in regulation. The Lasers remained composed in the defensive end, and denied the Monks for a final shot on goal, to secure a spot in the Championship round for the second consecutive year.
Delaney recorded two saves in the victory and improves to 6-2 overall, while Cunha stopped seven shots and ends her last season at 16-2.
Quarterfinals - Tuesday, May 3
Game 1: #1 Saint Joseph's Maine 18, #8 Norwich 6 | BOX
Game 2: #4 Lasell 15, #5 Simmons 5 | BOX
Game 3: #3 Emmanuel 17, #6 Mount Ida 6 | BOX
Game 4: #2 Johnson & Wales 16, #7 Rivier 9 | BOX
Semifinals - Thursday, May 5
Game 5: #4 Lasell 6, #1 Saint Joseph's Maine 5 | BOX
Game 6: #2 Johnson & Wales 9, #3 Emmanuel 8 | BOX
Championship - Saturday, May 7
Game 7: #4 Lasell at #2 Johnson & wales - 1:00 PM