FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NO. 1 JWU 3, NO. 5 LASELL 0
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales women's soccer team defeated the Lasell University Lasers by a score of 3-0. The Wildcats advance to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference finals for the first time since 2017.
Records:
JWU: 15-6, 11-1 GNAC
LU: 9-11. 8-4 GNAC
Statistics:
Cat Nolan (JWU): 1 goal, 1 assist
Jordan Restivo (JWU): 1 goal
Molly McCormack (JWU): 1 goal
Of Note:
The Wildcats and Lasers played a hard fought first half, both teams picking up yellow cards early in the action. With 3:02 remaining in the half the Wildcats finally broke through on a service from Cat Nolan about 45 yards from frame, Molly McCormack beat an offiside trap and dribbled around Angela Sanzari to take the lead.
To start the second half, Jordan Restivo received a through ball from Jaclyn Larsen that helped the Wildcats extend the lead to 2-0. Restivo scored both goals in the Wildcats victory over the Lasers earlier this season.
Cat Nolan took a shot at frame from 35 yards out and found the back of the net over the diving Lasers' keeper.
JWU outshot the Lasers 20-11 and had the advantage on corners 3-1.
Up Next:
The Wildcats will host the GNAC finals versus the St Joseph's College of Maine Monks Saturday November 9, time to be determined. Johnson & Wales fell to Monks earlier this season 2-1 in overtime.
Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications.
NO. 3 EMMANUEL , NO. 2 SAINT JOSEPH'S MAINE
STANDISH, MAINE – #2 Saint Joseph's College (14-3-3) scored twice in a matter of four minutes midway through the second half to defeat #3 Emmanuel College (10-9-1), 2-1, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer tournament semifinal at the SJC Athletics Complex on Tuesday evening.
With the victory, the Monks continue their quest to repeat as GNAC Champions and will play at Johnson & Wales University in the 2019 conference title bout on Saturday, start time TBD.
For Emmanuel, the hard fought setback brings an end to the 2019 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Facing a 1-0 deficit late, the Monks showed a sense of urgency with consistent offensive effort and the hard work paid off at the 72:15 mark, when senior Hannah Butler (Melrose, Mass.) collected a loose ball in the box and launched a kick off the crossbar that deflected straight down and across the goal line.
With momentum now clearly in their favor, the Monks continued to possess in Emmanuel's defensive end and managed to net what proved to be the game winner less than four minutes later. Sophomore Ashley Emery (Madison, Maine) set up the play with a shot from the left side of the box that sailed just below the crossbar on the right side of the net, but Emmanuel freshman keeper Alyssa Crugnale (Middleton, Mass.) jumped to her left to punch the ball away. Fortunately for the Monks, sophomore Emma Auclair (Kittery, Maine) was racing to the right goal post and followed her own shot into an empty net for the clincher.
Emmanuel came out strong in the first half and took advantage of an SJC defensive lapse to grab a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute. Freshman Megan McMillen (North Branford, Conn.) put her team on the board with her fifth goal of the season off a well-placed shot to the upper left corner as the Saints headed into intermission with the one-goal advantage.
THE KEEPERS:
SJC sophomore netminder Adia Grogan (Kennebunk, Maine) turned away four shots in the victory while Crugnale made five saves in a losing effort for the Saints.
TEAM STATS:
Saint Joseph's held a 19-6 advantage in shots – including a 12-1 lead in the second half – with a 7-5 edge in shots on goal on the evening. Both teams were awarded three corner kicks.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With tonight's victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 6-11-0 all-time versus Emmanuel College. The Saints defeated the Monks by the same 2-1 score in Boston earlier this season.
Courtesy of SJC Athletics Communications.
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
– #TheGNAC –