WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (11/15/14) – The Lasell College women's soccer team fell to No. 1 ranked in New England Williams College 2-0 in the NCAA Tournament opener. The Lasers finish with an overall record of 17-5, while the Ephs advance to the second round of the tournament at 17-1-1.
Despite the loss, Lasell proved themselves as worthy contenders, holding off the Ephs for 46 minutes.
Sophomore Kristi Kirshe (Franklin, Mass.) scored both goals for Williams, finishing off feeds from sophomore Audrey Thomas (Bellevue, Wash.).
Kirshe opened up the game two minutes in with a shot on net, but was denied the goal from freshman keeper Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.).
40 minutes into the contest, Lasell was presented with an offensive opportunity when Bridget Lynch (Dover, N.H.) attempted a shot on net that was blocked by the Ephs' defense, resulting in a corner kick. Junior Bridget Munnelly (Bellingham, Mass.) took the kick for Lasell, driving it just outside the six-yard box. The Lasers attempted two shots in the offensive scramble, but the Williams' defense rejected their chance.
After the first half, the game remained scoreless.
The Ephs wasted no time getting on the board in the second half, scoring both of their goals in the first three minutes. At 46:01, Thomas dished the ball into the middle of the six-yard box, where Kirshe netted a goal to the left side of LaClair. The Ephs struck again two minutes later at 48:18 when Kirshe and Thomas teamed up for the second and final goal of the game.
At 75:29, LaClair came up huge for Lasell, putting a hold on consecutive scoring opportunities by Williams. Senior Alex McInturf (Cincinnati, Ohio) took the first shot at LaClair's right side, followed by a blast from junior Lindsey Vandergrift (Seattle, Wash.).
With five minutes left in regulation, Lasell nearly got on the board when senior Kayla Lynch (Dover, N.H.) sent Bridget Lynch a thru ball up the middle of Williams' defensive zone. Bridget Lynch took a quick shot on net, but Williams senior keeper Hannah Van Wetter (Lakewood, Colo.) was there to make the save.
Van Wetter stopped two shots on net for the Ephs, while LaClair registered eight saves for the Lasers.
Williams will host Ithaca College on Sunday, November 16th for the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Lasell women's soccer team will graduate four student-athletes in May, all whom have made tremendous contributions to the program as well as the Lasell community.
Bridget Lynch will leave Lasell as one of the most successful and talented women's soccer players the institution has seen. She led the GNAC in goals for the 2014 season and is ranked top five in the NCAA for points and scoring. Bridget Lynch holds the school record for career goals, coming up two short of 100 at 98.
Kayla Lynch contributed to the women's soccer program with her ability to put away scoring opportunities as well as set up her teammates in the offensive zone. Kayla Lynch tallied 34 goals and 14 assists throughout her time period at Lasell.
Molly Masiero (Richmond, Mass.) gave the team guidance, sportsmanship, and leadership. She was the playmaker of the team, starting each contest with a drive to succeed. Masiero received GNAC Third Team honors this season, notching one goal and dishing out three assists. During her three-year span at Lasell, Masiero played in 64 games, producing eight goals and six assists.
Leah Pappalardo (Whitman, Mass.) had immense impact on the Lasers between the pipes, playing in 44 career matches. Pappalardo ends her career at Lasell with a record of 27-10, with 166 saves and 3,172 minutes in net.
We wish the seniors well in their future endeavors, and their presence will truly be missed.