FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Courtesy of Lasell Athletics Communications

NEWTON, Mass. – For the eighth consecutive year, the Lasell College women's soccer team captured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title, defeating the second-seeded Wildcats of Johnson & Wales 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field.

With an overall record of 13-5, the Lasers earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth year in a row, while the Wildcats finish the 2017 campaign at 16-4-1.

Like she has done all season, junior Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.) was the hero of the match, scoring both goals for the Lasers.  Zdanek's first goal came at the 34-minute mark, when Morgan Pinksten (Pelham, N.H.)  found her through the right side. Zdanek lofted the ice breaker past an outstretched Colleen Lynch, giving the Lasers a 1-0 that rolled into halftime.

Overall, the Lasers held a 19-12 advantage in shots, as senior Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.) saved all eight bids on net from the Wildcats. Lasell kept the high pressure on, opening the second stanza with four shots in the first five minutes. Zdanek struck again in the 53rd minute, this time on a pass from classmate Erika Badger (Scituate, Mass.), to give the Lasers some breathing room heading into the final third of the contest.

The Wildcats had their best opportunities toward the end of the contest, as Kali Trunca and Cat Nolan tested LaClair, but the senior keeper stood tall in net to preserve the shutout, the 24th of her career. Lynch made seven saves in the effort, and drops to 16-3-1 this season.

The NCAA DIII women's soccer selection show is set for Monday, November 6 at 1:00 p.m.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Haley DaGraca, Saint Joseph's of Maine
Emily DeLuca, Saint Joseph's of Maine
Erin Fleming, Simmons
Casey Halle, Simmons
Olivia Cairrao, JWU
Kyra Selner, JWU
Kali Trunca, JWU 
Sarah LaClair, Lasell
Casey Meissner, Lasell 
Sabrina Morais, Lasell
Korynne Provenzano, Lasell
Carly Zdanek, Lasell (MVP)

Saturday, October 28 - Quarterfinals
Game 1: #1 Lasell 3, #8 Suffolk 1 | BOX
Game 2: #4 Saint Joseph's Maine 4, #5 Saint Joseph (Conn.) 0 | BOX
Game 3: #6 Simmons 2, #3 Emmanuel 0 | BOX
Game 4: #2 JWU 1, #7 Albertus Magnus 1 (JWU advances on PKs) | BOX

Tuesday, October 31 - Semifinals
Game 5: #1 Lasell 3, #4 Saint Joseph's Maine 1 | BOX
Game 6: #2 JWU 2, #6 Simmons 0 | BOX

Saturday, November 4 - Final
Game 7: #1 Lasell 2, #2 JWU 0 | BOX  

2017 GNAC Women's Soccer Championship